The Announcement
by brittany34
Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man.
1. Prologue

The Announcement

He pulled the newspaper closer to his face, convinced that he was reading the announcement wrong.

It was her. She was smiling her arms wrapped around the waist of a man he had heard about but never actually seen before. He felt his stomach clench as he read the short article below the picture.

_**Mr. and Mrs. Michael Winston are pleased to announce the engagement of their eldest son, David Jacob Winston to Chloe Ann Sullivan.**_

_**The couple will marry in a small ceremony in Smallville, Kansas on June 6**__**th**__** 2013.**_

'_So that's it' _he thought to himself bitterly. He stared at her beautiful smiling face for another moment before ripping the article out of the paper and crumpling it in his hand.

He thought back to the day she had left him the pain in her eyes and the ache it had caused in his chest.

There had been no fight or no infidelity, in fact truth be told there had been no real reason for them to go their separate ways. They had just grown apart. So when she kissed him gently one last time and walked out the door he'd let her go.

It had taken him less then a day without her for him to realize it was the biggest mistake either of them could have made. They needed to fight for each other.

He decided the best way to do that was to go to her. He had made it over halfway to the Kent farm, where he knew she would be staying, before he had to stop and pull the car to the side of the road. He could handle the pain of wondering what could have been, but the thought of going to her and laying his heart out only to have her break it by denying him was too much to bear. So he'd turned the car around and drove back to his apartment. A broken man.

That had been a little over a year ago and he still thought about her all the time.

Nine months ago when he found out she was dating someone new he'd reverted back to his playboy ways, having a string of meaningless affairs that had been splashed all over the covers of every tabloid in the country. But it hadn't helped.

He was still haunted by her, they way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, and the way her smile could brighten his mood even on his worst days. The worst part was the dreams. He dreamt of the feel of her skin under his calloused hands and the sounds she made when he touched her.

'_God I miss her'. _

Slowly he unclenched his hand and placed the crumpled picture on the table flattening it with his palm. He stared at it harder and longer this time and realized two things. First she wasn't wearing her brightest smile, just an imitation of it. And second he had to stop this wedding because he knew deep down Chloe Sullivan was meant to be with Oliver Queen.

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A/N Okay I've had this on my computer for awhile now and thought I'd see if you guys liked it. It was soupposed to be just a drabble but I have ideas on how I can add more to it if people are interested. But I probably won't start it until I'm done with Right In Front Of You. Please review and thank for reading!


	2. Chapter 1

The Announcement

Chapter 1

_He leaned against the door frame unable to tear his eyes away from her as she ran from monitor to monitor. He loved watching her when she was like this. Completely focused on the job at hand. So engrossed in what she was doing she hadn't even noticed him._

"_Ha!" he heard her say as she ran across the room again a look of pure determination on her face. He knew that look. She was right on the verge of a major breakthrough on whatever problem was taking over her day._

_He knew the moment she had figured it out. She didn't say anything or even move from where she was standing, but he saw her whole body relax slightly. It was something that most people wouldn't have even noticed but with all the time he spent working with her he knew her giveaways._

_He pushed himself off away from the door and silently made his way over to her. When he reached her he wrapped his arms around her waist, she tensed for just a moment before leaning into him._

"_When did you get back?" she asked._

"_About an hour ago." He lifted one hand to her neck and brushed the hair away, then lowered his lips to the sensitive spot just below her right ear, "I missed you," he whispered before kissing her neck again._

_He felt her turn in his arms. She looked up at him her eyes sparkling, "did you?" she asked placing her hand to his chest._

"_You know I did."_

_Her eyes slid shut as he ran his fingertips over her shoulder and down the length of her arm. When his hand reach hers he started rubbing small circles with the pad of his thumb in the palm of her hand before lifting it to his lips and kissing it softly. _

_When his lips met her skin her eyes opened and her cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of pink. He loved the fact that after all this time he still was able to have that affect on her._

_He laced his fingers through hers and lifted his other hand to tuck a stray curl that had fallen in her face behind her ear then moved his hand to the back of her neck._

"_I really missed you too, Ollie."_

"_Well maybe next time you should just come with me."_

"_I just might." she told him smiling, "but for tonight why don't you just take me back to your place so I can properly welcome you home?"_

_Suddenly Chloe disappeared from his arms and everything went black…_

_She sat beside him, her eyes wide. He had expected this and he was prepared to wait here all night for her response if he had to. What he was asking her to do would be hard for her. He knew that._

_If she agreed she would be leaving everyone she cared about. It would be a huge sacrifice. But he'd been thinking about it for awhile now and he couldn't go on like this. So he did the selfish thing and asked._

"_Chloe?" he said gently, "can you please tell me what you're thinking?"_

_She stood up and walked away from him. She stood with her back to him and he was sure she was going to tell him no. That she loved him but it was out of the question._

"_We'll have to set up a new base of operations, I'll need someplace close by to work."_

"_I've already been looking at several possible locations" he told her trying to keep from getting his hopes up yet._

"_And I need your guarantee that I can use your jet whenever I need to come back to Metropolis."_

"_You just say the word."_

_She turned back toward him slowly and when he saw the look on her face he knew it was a done deal._

"_Okay." she told him simply_

"_Okay?"_

"_Yes. Okay, I'll do it. I'll move to Star City with you."_

_She faded away again…_

_He stepped off the elevator and saw her sitting on his couch her feet tucked up underneath her as she stared blankly out the balcony window, He shifted his gaze to the dining room table where she had spread out a beautiful dinner that was obviously now cold and ruined. He walked closer and saw neither plate was touched._

"_Chloe I'm sorry, the meeting ran late." he tried to explain loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt._

"_Right, the meeting" she said bitterly._

"_Chloe, don't be like this." he said slightly annoyed by the fact that she just expected him to skirt his responsibilities, "I said I'm sorry."_

"_I know you are Oliver, but I don't know how much more of this I can take. I mean you're the one that convinced me to move out here. You said you wanted me with you but we've barely spent five minutes together in the last two months."_

"_Chloe this is my job, I can't just drop everything because you decided that all of a sudden you wanted to take a crack at cooking a meal."_

_He watched her eyes narrow and he knew he had gone too far. He expected her to at least start yelling but she didn't she just stared at him tears falling down her cheeks. _

_When had she started crying?_

_She walked toward him but stopped short keeping several feet between him, "I wanted to be with you tonight because it was one year ago today that I moved to Star City with you I kinda thought it was a special day for us. I guess I was wrong."_

_He watched as she walked down the hall toward their bedroom and away from him._

_Again everything shifted and disappeared…_

_He sat on their bed his hand on his knees and his hands resting on his chin staring at her. She stood in front of him her arms folded over her chest._

"_So that's it then?" he asked, "you're leaving me."_

"_Oliver I'm sorry but I can't take it anymore. I'm so lonely here, and I can't take feeling like this anymore._

_His gaze shifted to the pile of boxes stacked in the corner of the bedroom, "When are you leaving?" he asked her trying to keep the sudden urge to walk over to those boxes and kick them across the room under control._

"_My flight leaves in two hours."_

"_Wow you don't waste any time, do you?" _

"_I'm sorry Ollie," she said walking over to him and bending down so they were eye level. She leaned in and kissed him gently, "I'll love you forever…"_

Oliver's eyes shot open. His pulse was racing and his breathing labored. He turned his head to the left and looked at _her _side of the bed, and felt his stomach tighten. He knew there was no way he was getting back to sleep so he sat up and swung his legs off the bed, and covered his face with his hands trying to calm himself. After a few minutes he stood and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

Then his eyes landed on the wrinkled article on his night stand and he fell back to the bed. He picked it up and stared at her beautiful face, then looked at the man in the picture with her and his jaw clenched. He couldn't let this happen. He still loved her and until he knew for sure that she didn't feel the same way anymore he was going to fight for her.

He reached over and grabbed his phone quickly dialing and putting it up to his ear. He stood and went to his closet and pulled out his duffel bag before walking over to his dresser and starting to fill it.

"_Yes Mr. Queen?" _

"I need to get to Metropolis. Right away" he told his pilot.

"_Yes sir, I can have us fueled up and cleared for take off in about an hour."_

"Perfect, I'm on my way" He hung up the phone and walked back over to his night stand and pulled open the top drawer. His eyes fell on the little velvet box.

He'd had it in his pocket the night he came home to find her already packed and leaving him. So he'd hidden it away for over a year now. He shoved the little box in his bag and headed for the airport, and back to Chloe if she'd have him.

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A/N I will be updating The Wager. I'm hoping to have it up by this time tomorrow! Reviews Please!


	3. Chapter 3

The Announcement

Chapter 3

_Chloe sat in the cab nervously wringing her hands together. She leaned back in her seat and turned her head to stare out the window at the night sky. She'd left Star City four months ago and to this day she could still see the look in Oliver's eyes when she told him she was leaving. She had hurt him and it was the biggest mistake of her life, she knew that now, maybe she had known it all along and had been fooling herself. It took just a few dates with another man to make her realize that. _

_Jacob was nice enough and maybe if she wasn't still in love with another man they could spend more time together so she could get to know him better, but that was not an option for her, she was taken heart, mind, body and soul. No one else would ever compare._

_The car pulled up outside his building and she paid the driver throwing in a generous tip. She exited the cab suitcase in hand and headed to the elevator. Once inside she pushed the button for the top floor. _

_This was it she was going to tell him she was sorry that it had been wrong for her to just run away because things got hard. Relationships took work and she was willing to put in the effort if he was. They belonged together, and she hoped he still felt the same way._

_She stepped off the elevator and headed to his door but when she reached it she saw it was slightly ajar. She gently pushed on the door and took a step inside looking around she saw that the place was a total mess. The contents of his desktop, which were normally neat and organized were now strewn across the floor. She felt her stomach tighten thinking that someone broke in and had been looking for something. _

_A moment later she heard a sound from the back of the penthouse._

_Making her way down the hallway she reached inside her purse and pulled out her keys. As quietly as possible she fumbled with them until she found the pepper spray key chain Ollie had bought her after one too many close calls. He almost hadn't made it that time and told her she needed someway to buy herself time to get away just in case. She smiled at the memory she was so gonna hear about this from him walking toward the danger on her own. She just hoped he would be too preoccupied with her being back to lecture her._

_She slowly turned the handle to the bedroom door and nudged it open peeking through the small crack it created. But what she saw inside was not what she expected. No one had broken in that was for sure, and based on the brunette currently straddling him Oliver would not be interested in anything she had to say._

_Her head was spinning and she felt her legs start to tremble. She leaned back against the wall beside her and bent over gasping desperate to catch her breath. What had she been thinking? This is who he was. A womanizer. A playboy. Whatever he felt for her was gone. He was over her._

_She had to get away. Away for Star City and more importantly away from him. She pushed herself off the wall but kept her hand there to brace herself as she headed for the door. She walked to the elevator and pushed the button. Once the doors closed she fell against the wall and slid to the ground finally allowing the tears to fall. When the elevator stopped she climbed off and fled into the night._

_She booked the next flight back to Metropolis and as she took off she promised herself that she would never risk her heart again…_

She shook her head wishing silently that if she shook hard enough it would erase the memory from her mind. That had been the moment she had given up the hope that her and Oliver Queen would ever be together again. A realization that had broken her heart.

"Chloe are you listening to me?" her fiancée said handing her a fresh cup of coffee.

"Sorry Jake, What were you saying?" she asked taking the cup and smiling up at him.

"My mother would like you to go dress shopping with her early next week. She'd like you to call and tell her what time works for you."

"Oh right… I'll call her later today to set something up . Okay?"

"Sounds good." he said leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips. "I've gotta get to the office. Dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, sounds good." she said, and watched him leave.

There had to something wrong with her. Here she was with this great guy a guy who loved her and who she had agreed to marry and for some reason ever since he had slipped the ring on her finger she kept thinking of the man who broke her heart. She thought she was over him that she was finally free of the pain but here he was, invading her thoughts and dreams. She had to fix this. She had to find a way to stop looking to her past and focus on the future.

With a sudden overpowering resolve Chloe pushed back her chair and headed to her bedroom once inside she closed the door and headed to her closet. She yanked the door open quickly and reached up to the top shelf and pulled down a box that was hidden away from everyone.

She lost her footing for a moment causing the box to fall upside down on the ground, "Shit."

She bent down and started picking it up and in the process the lid fell off she watched the contents inside fell to the ground then slid to her knees and looked at the things inside. Everything he'd even given her, at least of a personal nature was laid out before her. She quickly gathered everything up and put them back into the box.

She knew she had kept these things because she couldn't stand the idea of getting rid of the last few mementos from their time together, but now it was time to move on. Completely. It was only fair to herself and more importantly to Jacob.

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A/N Okay so I'm sorry this is late and also kind of short but I had the whole chapter written out, edited and ready for posting, and then I accidentally deleted it. L

This is what I was able to write back out. I will try and post more soon.

**On a side note. Anyone who's reading The Wager I'm a little stuck on something and would really appreciate some feedback. I have Two possible endings planed out and now that the story probably only has about five or six chapters left I can't decide which one to go with. One leaves things open for a sequel that I wouldn't start right away but not too far out. So sequel or no?


	4. Chapter 4

The Announcement

Chapter 3

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Chloe made her way into the Kent kitchen the box tucked under her arm. She closed the door behind her and placed it on the counter then made her way through the first level of the house looking for her cousin. When she didn't find her she made her way to the bottom of the stairs, "Lois!" she called out.

It only took a second for her to hear her cousins voice, "It is entirely too damn early for all this noise." she grumbled rubbing the back of her right hands over her eyes. She took one look at Chloe and rushed down the stairs, "What's wrong Chlo?" she asked her concern written all over her face, "Have you been crying?"

Chloe turned on her heel and headed back to the kitchen without saying a word.

Lois followed closely behind her, "Chloe will you please talk to me?"

"I need you to help me get rid of it." She said simply pointing at the box. She had tried to do it herself, she really had. But as she stood by the dumpster behind her apartment building the boxed raised over her head prepared to throw it in, something had stopped her.

In that moment she knew that she needed a good old fashioned dose of help from her cousin. So she had gotten in her car and made the long drive from Metropolis to Smallville.

Lois stared at her clearly confused then made her way over to the counter and lifted the lid, After a moment she closed it again and slowly turned back to Chloe, "you still have all this stuff?" she asked her eyebrows raised so high they nearly reached her hairline.

Chloe nodded quickly, "and I really can't keep them anymore," she said walking over to her cousin, "but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of everything."

"And that's where I come in, I suppose."

"Yes." Chloe answered, "I need you to help me do it."

Lois made her way over to the cabinet and pulled a can of coffee down, "You don't just want me to do it for you?" she asked dumping two level scoops of grounds into the machine and making her way to the sink. She turned on the water and started to fill the pot in her hand.

"No. I need to do this myself I just need you to find the strength to do it_."_

Lois made her way back across the kitchen and poured the water into the coffee machine and pressed start, then turned back to Chloe, "Are you sure about this Chloe? I mean you obviously hung onto this stuff for a reason." she rationalized.

"I kept all this," she said waving her hand in the direction of the offending box, "because I'm too weak to give up the memories but I have to. It's time to move on."

"I still don't understand why you are trying so hard to put the love of your life behind you."

Chloe groaned loudly, "Lois you know why. I told you what happened when I went back to Star City to try and work things out with him," she cringed as the image of Oliver in bed with that woman, "besides I love Jake," she added quietly.

Chloe looked up and found Lois's eyes narrowed at her as she openly tried to read her demeanor verses the words she had just said. "Okay," Lois said slowly, "you do realize that you just admitted that Oliver, and not your fiancée, is the love of your life, Right?" she reached inside another cabinet and pulled out two mugs then poured coffee into each of them. She then picked them up and made her way back to Chloe and handed her one.

Chloe sighed deeply, "Lois I will always love Oliver, but he and I are over." Her voice cracked as she said it, and a single tear fell, "I'm marrying Jake," she said firmly.

"Let's go sit down." she suggested pointing toward the living room.

"Ok." Chloe answered following her into the room and sitting on the couch. She brought the cup to her lips and took a healthy gulp before looking up at her cousin, "so will you help me or not?" she asked finally.

Lois stared at her for a minute before taking a gulp herself, she then leaned forward and placed her cup on the coffee table, "You know that I will, if you are really sure that this is what you want."

"I am."

"Fine," she agreed sadly.

Chloe kept her eyes on her cousin and noticed the way Lois didn't seem to thrilled to be helping her put her past behind her, "but you're not happy about it." she stated.

"No. I'm not." Lois admitted quietly.

"Why? I mean I really don't understand you Lo, you know how badly Oliver hurt me. I thought you of all people would want me to fully close that chapter of my life."

"No, what I know is how badly the two of you hurt each other," she reached across and placed her hand gently on Chloe's leg, "I am in no way saying that what he did was right, and I know it hurt you but technically you two weren't together. He was probably hurting pretty badly after you left, and you and I both know that when Oliver is hurt or angry he has a tendency to become very self destructive."

"His reasons don't matter anymore Lois, I'm going to marry Jake, I love him."

"So you keep saying."

"It's the truth."

"Maybe, but you'll never love _Jacob," _she said with obvious disdain.

the way you love Oliver,"

"Look Lois, I know you don't like him, but I really need you to get on board with this.

"Fine," Lois said relenting, "Let's go do something about this box of yours." She stood from the couch and held her hand out.

Chloe leaned forward and placed her cup on the coffee table next and took her cousin's hand. Lois pulled her up from the couch and together they walked back to the kitchen to decide the best way to dispose of the final remnants of her life with Oliver Queen.

* * *

Oliver made his way down the long drive to the Kent farmhouse. He had really hoped that he would find Chloe at her apartment in the Talon, but when he got there a young girl behind the counter had told him that Chloe Sullivan had moved out a few weeks prior. He'd asked her if she knew where he could find her, but all the girl knew was that Chloe had moved to Metropolis with her fiancée.

The moment he heard the words he felt his stomach drop. It made sense really if she was going to marry this guy why wouldn't she be living with him too. It was completely logical, and yet the thought of that man in the picture getting to experience all things Chloe made him feel sick.

He got to sleep beside her every night and wake up with her every morning; he was now the one who got to touch her, to hold her. He got to see that small smile that stretched across her lips every morning before she even opened her eyes, and listen to the low moan of pleasure she let out when she took her first sip of her first cup of coffee every morning. He was the one that could kiss her now. Just him.

David Jacob Winston had it all now and all because he had been an idiot.

He had taken her for granted and when he still had the chance to go fight for her he had chickened out. He had never given up on anything in his life, except the one thing that mattered most, and there was no way he was going to make that mistake again. He would do what ever he had to do to prove to her that she was the most important thing in his life and convince her to come back to him.

When he hit the end of the driveway he saw it. Chloe's little red Volkswagen convertible. He pulled his car up beside hers, and pulled the key from the ignition. He tried to take a moment to collect himself. This would be the first time he had seen her since she had left him. He took a deep breath and stepped from the car.

Oliver slowly made his way to the front door and knocked loudly. The first thing he heard was the sound of Lois telling Chloe to answer her damn phone already. A moment later the door swung open. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of him and he prepared himself to dodge one of her killer right hooks, but what happened next surprised him.

Lois leaned forward, "well it's about time you pulled your head out of your ass and came back," she whispered at him.

He stared at her shocked and unable to speak. It was then that he heard Chloe call to Lois from the kitchen.

"Hey Lo, I've gotta go into town. I that was the manager from the Talon apparently the new owner already rented out the apartment and I've got to get the last of my things. Could I bribe you into going along for the…" she stopped mid sentence when she saw him.

"Hey Sidekick," he said lamely lifting his hand and waving weakly at her.

"You're going to have to do a lot better then that Queen," Lois said low enough that only he could hear as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Can we talk? Please?" he asked her his voice practically begging.

"Actually, I was just on my way out." Chloe replied stiffly she made her way over to Lois and gave her a quick hug," Call me later she told her cousin." She turned on her heal and made her way out the back door not even looking at him.

Oliver kept her eyes locked on the door she had just exited from until he heard the sound of her car starting behind him. He turned and watched as she pulled away and drove faster then necessary away from him.

"Well that went well." He said nervously rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.

"Well what the hell did you expect "hey sidekick" she said in a mock deep voice as she mimicked his wave from moments before, "are you serious?"

"I panicked" he explained.

"Obviously." She opened the door further and stepped out of the way so he could walk through, "Well come on in, we've got a lot to catch up on."

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A/N First off I'm so sorry it took me so long to start posting on this again, and thanks to anyone who is still reading.

Now anyone who's confused about Lois's reaction in this chapter I promise everything will be explained soon, including her dislike for Chloe's fiancée.

I hope everyone liked it, I know it was short but I promise the updates will be very frequent from here on out!


	5. Chapter 5

The Announcement

Chapter 4

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Chloe and Lois sat in the kitchen the contents of her "Ollie box", as Lois was now calling it, were spread out on the top of the island in the center of the room. Lois had said that she had read some article in a woman's magazine that said the best way to fully move on from heartbreak was to confront the memories of your failed relationship head on, so the two of them had proceeded to empty out everything from the box one by one while Chloe explained what they were.

The first thing she pulled out was the white queen chess piece he had given her after the whole situation with Roulette. He sat across from her telling her that she had saved him, and that no one understood him like she did. He had been more humble and genuine in that moment then she had ever seen him.

She'd be lying if she said she hadn't always been attracted to Oliver on some level, who wouldn't be, but that had been the first time he had really made her feel like there was a swarm of butterflies doing the conga in her stomach. Of course the next day Lois had come to her and confided in her how Oliver had said that her cousin was the best thing in his life. It had hurt, but she was used to being passed over, so she pushed away the butterflies and went back to business as usual.

Lois wouldn't meet her eyes as she told her the last part, so she placed the chess piece on the island and ventured on.

The next thing she pulled out was a single green feather; she had taken it off of one of the arrows from their first target practice. She wore a small smile as she remembered what happened at Watchtower that night. She had expected to spend the night alone and lost in her own little virtual world.

Instead she had found Oliver.

Oliver, archery, and scotch. Apparently the combination of the three had been her Achilles heel, because within fifteen minutes of them starting to 'practice'; sensible and logical Chloe had left the building, and left in her wake was the Chloe who had felt nothing more amazing then what Oliver was doing to her as she straddled him on the couch.

Lois listened intently to Chloe as she told her what had happened that night; she shook her head and fought back a smirk at the sight of her cousin pouting because Chloe refused to share the 'really naughty details'.

That had been the night that everything had changed for them. The night that they had started their whole friends with benefits arrangement. She had to laugh. She had been so stupid to think that she could actually have any kind of relationship with Oliver Queen and not fall head over heels for him.

She then told Lois about the time Oliver ended up finding the feather in her nightstand as they were packing up her room for the move to Star City. She had blushed furiously when she told him where and when she got it. But her embarrassment had quickly faded when she looked at him and saw the smile on his face as he told her he always knew he wasn't the only one who fell on their first night together.

Lois smiled at her as she finished her story and placed the feather beside the chess piece.

The next thing she pulled out was a small silver spoon, with the emblem from the McDougal Inn. That weekend was supposed to be a weekend full of lots of indoor games and no strings, instead it ended up being the first time she started to think that Oliver's feelings for her had changed.

Friends with benefits don't feel jealousy and it was obvious by the way he had reacted to the news of her possessed self trying to join Clark in the shower that that was exactly what he was feeling.

The way he had looked at her on the last day after they both admitted to being over their old loves had surprised her. It was not just a look of desire and lust like she had seen from him in the past. This look was one of admiration, and longing, it was something she tried to ignore for months after she saw it and realized what it meant. But what she tried to ignore even more was the fact that deep down she knew she was feeling everything he was.

She set the spoon down.

She continued on pulling out the mementos one by one.

A single red rose from the gorgeous flower arrangement he had sent her that first Valentine's Day.

Then a book of Shakespearean sonnets that he had given to her on their first anniversary.

A movie stub from the first time her had convinced her to let him actually take her out on 'a real date' instead of just staying locked inside the clock tower, naked in his bed.

But the hardest things to see were the photos, the two of them smiling, and laughing during everyday moments and also the monumental moments throughout their relationship.

The two of them in Paris, the trip had been the last birthday of hers they had spent together.

There was one of the two of them kissing under the mistletoe, it was their first Christmas together and Mrs. Kent had come in from Washington D.C. and invited the whole league to dinner.

There were so many pictures and they flooded her with so many memories.

When she finally reached the last photo she placed them on the counter with the other items and brushed away the tears that had started to fall.

Lois stared at her wide eyed, "I'm sorry Chlo, maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"No it was," she said with a small sniff, "confront the past to put it behind you." she gave her cousin a weak smile.

"Well is that all that everything?"

"Yes," she answered, she raised her right hand and subconsciously brushed her finger tips over the bracelet on her left wrist.

The quick moment didn't go unnoticed by Lois, who walked over to her, grabbed her hand and lifted it so she could get a better look, it was the beautiful jade bangle Chloe wore everyday, "Is this from him?" she asked shocked.

Chloe didn't answer just looked to the floor.

She felt a sudden surge of relief when her phone started to ring and moved quickly to answer it.

"Oh no you don't, call whoever it is back," she said not letting go of her baby cousin's hand, "now answer the question."

"Fine! Yes it's from Oliver, but before you go all pseudo shrink on me just hear me out."

"Okay." Lois said releasing Chloe's hand and crossing her arms over her chest as she fought back a knowing smirk.

"It's really beautiful." she said in almost a whisper. When she looked up at her cousin she spoke again, "it has nothing to do with him, I just really like it," her voice was louder this time and she tried to make her voice sound as certain as possible, but even in her own ears she fell short.

Her phone started ringing for a second time and again when she tried to move toward it Lois stopped her, "Chloe you cannot marry, David Jacob Winston."

"Of course I can," she replied stubbornly. "This," she lifted her hand and shook it vigorously so the bracelet moved back and forth on her wrist, "doesn't mean anything," she watched Lois as the obvious disbelief crossed her face, "you don't believe me here watch," she slipped it off and pushed it into her cousin's hand. "See," she said, "no big deal."

"Now hold on, the fact that you've been wearing it every…" she was interrupted by a loud knocking at the front door, "just a minute let me get that," she said shoving the bracelets in her pocket and walking toward the front of the house as she passed the threshold of the kitchen Chloe's phone began to ring for a third time, "and answer the damn phone already," she called out over her shoulder.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and pressed Talk, "Hello?"

"_Hey Chloe, its Rebecca… from the Talon," _she added quickly.

"Yeah I know, what's up?"

"_The new owner asked me to call to let you know that he just rented out your apartment, and he wanted you to come pick up the last of your stuff."_

"Oh right, wow that was fast." she commented.

"_I was kinda surprised too." _she chuckled.

"Okay well I'm already in town so give me about half an hour and I'll come pick everything up."

"_All right, thanks Chloe."_

"No problem." she hung up the phone. "Hey Lo, I've gotta go into town. That was the manager from the Talon apparently the new owner already rented out the apartment and I've got to get the last of my things. Could I bribe you into going along for the…" she stopped mid sentence when she saw him standing in the doorway. Her heart started pounding and she felt like her legs had turned to Jelly.

"Hey Sidekick," he said lamely lifting his hand and waving weakly at her.

The sound of his voice after all these months still sent chills down her, and her heart was beating so fast she swore she could feel the pulses all through her body.

"Can we talk? Please?" he asked her.

She could hear the pleading in his voice, and she had to fight the urge to give into him.

"Actually, I was just on my way out." Chloe replied stiffly she made her way over to Lois and gave her a quick hug, "Call me later she told her cousin." She turned on her heal and made her way out the back door not even looking at him.

She walked around the house until she reached her car and jumped in quickly. She shoved her key in the ignition, and pulled out. She made her way down the Kent drive much faster then normal. Her heart was still pounding as she glanced in her rearview mirror and saw the look of pain on his face as he watched her drive away.

When she had made it a few miles down the main road that led to town and she knew there was plenty of distance between the two of them she pulled to the side of the road to try and slow her breathing.

Oliver was back, and there was no doubt in her mind why.

* * *

"Well are you gonna come in or not?" Lois asked shooting him a small smile.

"Uh… yeah," he said stepping past her and glancing around the Kent home, "wow this place is exactly the same," he noted.

Lois chuckled lightly, "yeah I'm convinced Clark is scared of any kind of change."

Oliver gave her a halfhearted smile at her joke, which was all he could muster. "So what do we need to catch up on?" he asked.

"I think you already know." she said pointedly.

"Yeah I do," he admitted.

She smiled at him and made her way to the living room with him following closely behind; when she sat on the couch he did the same and kept his eyes locked on hers. He noticed the way the corners of her mouth twisted up slightly at the corners. He knew that look. That was the look Lois got when one of her crazy plans fell into place. It only took a moment for him to realize why she was so smug.

"You know when I found that copy of the Daily Planet on my kitchen table folded open to her wedding announcement I figured someone in the league was responsible."

"Well they may not have been responsible, but one of them did lend a hand."

"Bart?" he guessed.

Lois shook her head, "nope."

"Well who else… you don't mean… Clark had a hand in this?" he asked shocked.

This time she nodded.

"But Clark hates me. He came to Star City a few months after Chloe left and told me I had hurt her enough and I better stay away from Metropolis."

"Ollie, that's because we had just watched Chloe cry her eyes out for days over what happened when she came back to Star City to see you. You know how overprotective he can be when it comes to her."

"Lois, she never came to see me, in fact I haven't seen Chloe in over a year."

"Oh my god," she said clamping her hand over her mouth.

"Lois," he said in a warning tone, "what aren't you telling me."

"Shit. Chloe made us promise that no one, especially you, would ever find out, I just figured with the way Clark sped out of here that day he wasn't thinking about that."

"Okay so what didn't he tell me?" he asked impatiently.

Lois took a deep breath, "she's gonna kill me for this, but if you want any chance of getting her back you're going to need to know all the facts." She leaned back in her seat, "about nine months ago Chloe flew out to Star City to see you, she wanted to work things out."

"Lois she never came to see me, I think I would remember if she had."

"Not if when she came to see you, you were too _preoccupied_ to notice."

"Preoccupied?" He stared at her for a minute confused by what she meant, but then it hit him. It hit him like the three ton truck she had used in her scheme to save his life just over three years ago. He opened his mouth to speak but no words would come out. He knew she had to have seen the articles in the tabloids about his totally fucked up way of dealing with his pain over losing her to someone else, but he had no idea she had tried to come back to him.

She wanted to try and fix things and ended up finding him in bed with someone else. He knew Chloe there was no way she would be able to get over that. She would never forgive him.

"I'm guessing by the look on your face you know what I'm talking about."

Oliver responded with one quick nod of his head. "She came back to me." he stated not quite believing it. "So you and Clark know all this and you actually still want to help me?"

"We just want her to be happy, and we both know that she won't be if she marries this guy."

"Lets just pretend for a second that you guys are right, that she won't be happy with this guy, what makes you think that after everything that's happened she'll want to be with me again?"

"Simple," she said, "Chloe's still in love with you."

"Lois, I spent months trying to break down Chloe's walls. I made her let me in. I selfishly asked her to move away from her friends and her family to be with me, and then I ignored her. I knew how lonely she was and I did nothing to make it better." He rubbed his hands over his face, "and even after all that she still wanted to give me a second chance but when she came to me she saw me having sex with someone else, trust me when I say I know Chloe, she does not love me after that."

"Ollie, I'm not gonna lie you did hurt her, but believe me when I say she does still love you."

"How can you be so sure?"

He saw her eyes dart toward the kitchen for just a second then back to him. He knew there was something she was trying to decide if she should tell him.

"What is it Lois?" he asked turning to look toward the kitchen for a moment then back at her.

There's something you should see" she said standing from the couch and walking to the kitchen.

Oliver stood and followed her. When he entered the kitchen his jaw dropped. On the island in the middle of the room were things from his relationship with Chloe, "Where did you get all this?" he asked picking up the small spoon.

"Chloe brought it over here today; she wanted me to help her get rid of it all."

"So you're telling me that her wanting to get rid of every reminder of our time together means she still loves me?"

"Wow, you really are clueless aren't you?"

He scowled at her waited for her to continue.

"Why did she keep it all? Why did she need _my_ help to try and find the strength to get rid of it all?" she reached inside her pocket and pulled out the bracelets and held it up, "and why has my cousin worn this every day since she left you?"

Oliver reached out and took it from her, "this was my mother's" he said quietly, "My father gave it to her on their first anniversary." he studied the object in his hand, "she once told me that it was the best gift he had ever given her. That's just how she was. What mattered to her was what a gift represented, not the cost."

"And you gave it to Chloe?"

"My mom would have loved her, it seemed right for her to have it."

Lois nodded, "and now if you don't find a way to get her back then in two months she's going to marry someone else, can you live with that?"

No he couldn't.

* * *

A/N Thanks for reading! I hope everyone liked it!

Next chapter: Find out why Lois dislikes Jacob so much. Lots of Oliver, Lois, and Clark.

On a side note if I was supposed to send you a preview to the sequel to The Wager and you didn't get it it's because you have your PM feature blocked.


	6. Chapter 6

The Announcement

Chapter 5

* * *

Chloe stared out the driver's side window for several minutes taking slow deep breaths. She needed to calm down before she would feel safe continuing on to the Talon, but that was easier said then done.

Oliver was back and even just seeing him for the few seconds she had still managed to rock her to her core. O f course it didn't help that she had just sent the previous hour going through a box containing mementos of some of the best times they had ever had together.

She had no idea how she had found the strength to leave him standing there considering that the second she had seen him her legs felt like they had turned to jelly. She silently chastised herself for letting him still have that effect on her after everything that had happened between the two of them.

She lowered her gaze down to the diamond she now wore on her left ring finger and felt a sudden wave of guilt. She was getting married to someone else in two months, it wasn't right that he could still make her feel this way. But she knew she couldn't help it. He was Ollie, and she knew now that no matter how much time passed he would still have the ability to make her weak in the knees. But she also knew that it wouldn't change anything, she could never be with him again, he would always just be the one who got away.

Chloe chuckled bitterly at the thought, if someone had asked her a few years back that Oliver Queen would be the one to fall into that category, she would have laughed in their face.

Then that night at Watchtower had happened and she was changed forever.

None of that mattered now though, she was marrying Jake. He was her future, and Ollie was her past now.

She shook her head as she put the car back in drive, pulled back onto the road and continued her trip to the Talon. She pushed her foot down harder on the gas pedal, she knew how fast she was going was breaking the speed limit but she couldn't seem to make herself care enough to slow down, she was desperate to put as much distance between herself and the Kent farm as possible, and as much distance between her and Oliver as possible.

Several times she had to fight the urge to pull a U-turn and go right back there and ask him what the hell he was doing there. Ask him why he thought he could just walk back into her life with a lame wave and a "hey sidekick, can we talk, Please?" and expect her to just run into his arms and say "oh sure Ollie."

She couldn't believe that he was actually back.

It had been over a year since she had actually talked to him in anything other then the few emails they had exchanged right after she moved back to Metropolis, and even those had been solely business related.

Nine months since that horrible day when she had made the mistake of flying to Star City only to find him 'working his way through his pain' the Oliver Queen way, and sent him a final email telling him she was resigning as Watchtower

In all the months since then she had never heard from him and now the day after her wedding announcement showed up in the paper he showed up back in Kansas.

"He is such a jack ass." she growled under her breath just as she pulled up outside the Talon.

She parked in a spot right in front and headed in. Once inside she walked straight to the counter.

"Chloe!" the young girl taking orders exclaimed, "would you like your usual?"

"Of course Emily, thanks," Chloe said smiling brightly reaching inside her pocket and pulling out a five dollar bill and handing it to the girl who quickly rung up her order and handed Chloe her change.

Once the girls back was turned she placed the money in the tip jar by the register and waited for her order.

A few minutes later she returned and set down a large latte and a chocolate chip muffin, which Chloe eagerly scooped up, if there was one thing she missed about Smallville it was the Talon and its delectable lattes and muffins. She lifted the cup to her nose and inhaled deeply.

"Hey Chloe," Emily said hesitantly.

"Yeah?" she asked before taking a slow sip from the cup.

"You had a visitor earlier today."

"I did, huh?" she asked knowing instantly who it had been.

"Um yeah… he was tall, blond, and…" Emily's voice trailed off.

"Incredibly hot," Chloe said finishing her thought.

"Exactly." she said blushing slightly.

"What did you tell him?"

"Just that you didn't live here anymore, and that you had moved to Metropolis with your fiancée."

"Good." Chloe answered pursing her lips.

"I hope I didn't say anything I wasn't supposed to." Emily said clearly worried she had crossed some kind of line.

"Oh no it's fine Emily," Chloe said reaching over the counter and placing her hand on the girls arm. She cleared her throat and pulled her hand back. "Um… Rebecca called and said that the new owner already rented out the apartment and I needed to pick up the last of my stuff."

"Oh yeah," Emily said clearly pleased with the change in subject, "there's still a few boxes upstairs."

"Right," Chloe answered turning and heading toward the stairs.

* * *

"_**If you don't find a way to get her back then in two months she's going to marry someone else, can you live with that?"**_

Oliver looked down at the bracelet. His hand was still clenched firmly around it. Lois's question kept repeating over and over in his head. There was no way he could handle Chloe marrying another man. Just the thought of her in a beautiful white dress and walking down the isle toward someone else made his chest tighten.

"Of course I can't Lois, you know that, but what do you suggest I do?"

"Fight for her Ollie," she replied sternly, "fight for a second chance."

"Lois, I don't think I deserve one."

He watched as her eyes widened then narrowed just a quickly, "and what about what she deserves?" she took a step toward him, "doesn't Chloe deserve the chance to be happy?"

"More then anybody I've ever known." he responded quietly looking to his feet, "but all I'm going to end up doing is complicating her life, I should just walk away and let her find whatever happiness she can with this guy."

Lois threw her arms up in exasperation, "Have you even been listening to me Ollie?" She took a deep breath then stepped toward him and rested her hand on his upper arm, "she will never be really happy with this guy because she will never love him the way that she loves you."

"I get what you're saying Lois, I really do but maybe what Chloe deserves more then anything is a chance at a normal life with a normal man." he said.

"Oliver Queen." she said in a tone that reminded him of being scolded as a small child, "you should know better then anyone that Chloe is not meant to end up with some normal man." she said with a twinge of disgust. "She's seen and experienced too much for that. She needs to be with someone extraordinary. She needs to be with you."

Oliver sat for a moment completely silent. Chloe Sullivan was the most amazing woman he had ever known, and she was never meant to live a mundane life, she would never truly be happy with that kind of life.

Chloe thrived in the adventures she had as Watchtower. That's the existence she was supposed to have. They were supposed to fight injustice side by side, but if she married David Jacob Winston there would be no chance of her ever coming back to him or to that life, and the thought of that made his stomach fall to his feet.

He knew Lois was right, he just hoped he could make Chloe see that too.

"Well if I'm going to have a chance you're going to have to tell me everything you know about my competition." he said with a weak smile.

Lois smiled brightly at him, "now that's the Ollie I know and love," she said leaning over and pulling him into a tight hug. She pulled back and smiled at him again, "and trust me on one thing, this guy is nowhere near competition for you." She stepped away from him and made her way back toward the living room, "Why don't we sit back down?" she suggested.

Oliver nodded and followed.

"So what do I need to know?" he asked once they were both sitting.

"I just… he just… it's just… I really hate that guy." she finally let out throwing her arms up.

"Wow, what did this guy do to incur the wrath of Lois Lane?" he asked as he chuckled lightly. When they had been together years ago Lois's straight to the point attitude had amused him to no end, and apparently it still did.

"Well for starters, he's your typical spoiled, overindulged, rich guy." she said with a scowl.

Oliver was slightly taken aback by that, "you do realize that I'm not exactly living in a cardboard box, right?"

"Well yeah, but you are nothing like this guy, Ollie, you would give away everything you have it meant helping someone in need. But this guy he has this whole 'I'm entitled to whatever I want' just because he comes from a family with a lot of money." He recognized the signs of a full on Lois rant coming as she started to pace the room. "And don't even get me started on his family, I mean his parents act like she's not good enough to marry into his family, and do you know what he says when they treat her like that," she asked stopping for a moment to look his way, "do you?" Oliver shook his head. "Nothing. He says nothing just lets them treat her however they want.

Oliver shook his head again, he had no idea how anyone could possibly think someone as amazing as Chloe wasn't good enough. She was amazing, and it sickened him that there were actually people out there that didn't realize that.

Oliver listened as Lois continued to rant about the man her cousin was about to marry.

His gaze drifted down to the small green bracelet and smiled at the fact that Lois had told him Chloe still wore it everyday. After everything she still kept the promise she had made to him the day he had given it to her…

_Oliver sat on his couch in his Star City apartment as he read over the latest financial reports that Queen Industries CFO had just faxed over to him. He settled back slightly trying to get more comfortable only to hit his elbow on one of the halfway unpacked boxes that now littered every available surface around him._

_Chloe had made the move a few weeks before but league business had kept her so busy that she had just gotten around to unpacking that day. He had offered several times already to help her, but had quickly withdrawn the offer when she threatened to break his arm if he messed with her 'system' he had chuckled at that until he looked into her eyes and realized there was a pretty decent chance that she wasn't kidding._

_Suddenly, Chloe came rushing into the room and started, rummaging through the boxes on the coffee table in front of him. He couldn't help but smile as a stray lock of hair fell in her face and she blew it away._

"_Problem Sidekick?" he asked once he managed to straighten his lips into a firm line._

"_Good guess Ollie." she snapped._

"_Well what is it," he pushed._

"_I lost something."_

"_Oh no, does that mean that the Sullivan System has a flaw in it?" he teased with a smirk which quickly faded when she looked up at him with a withering glare. He cleared his throat, "do you want some help finding whatever it is?" he asked cautiously._

"_No." she said firmly as she moved to look through the boxes that were sitting beside him on the couch._

"_Okay fine," he responded holding a hand up in surrender._

_He looked back down at his paper pretending to read them, but what he was really doing was secretly enjoying the show in front of him. Chloe moved from box to box rifling through them and letting out a small growl after each one proved not to be holding whatever she was looking for._

"_Found it," she said finally as she stood it front of him holding up the object that had been eluding her for over half an hour now. The tension that had been surrounding her just moments before had seemed to evaporate, and the smile she wore lit up the whole room._

_His eyes widened, "the spoon from the McDougal Inn, that's what you've been looking for?"_

"_Yeah." she answered simply as she headed back toward the bedroom._

_Oliver quickly jumped from the couch and followed after her. "Chloe, you just spent half an hour going crazy looking for a trinket that I bought for you in the gift shop of a bed and breakfast?"_

_She gawked at him, "Oliver it is not just 'a trinket' it's special to me." she explained as she crossed the room and gently placed it in the top drawer of her bedside table, "and where you got it doesn't matter, it's what it represents."_

_He stared into her eyes for a moment then quickly crossed the room and pulled her tightly into his arms in a tight embrace._

"_What was that for?" she asked when he finally released her._

"_You're just the most amazing woman." he said as he pulled her to him again._

_That night Chloe and Oliver lay in bed. Her back was pressed firmly against his chest as he softly rubbed his fingertips up and down the length of her arm. He waited until he heard her breathing become heavy then removed his hand from her and leaned back. He felt around the top of his nightstand until he found what he was looking for. He then reached back around her and slid the bracelet over her hand and onto her wrist._

_Oliver felt her shift beneath him and knew instantly that he had woken her back up. She lifted her hand slightly and when she saw the bracelet she turned to him her eyes questioning what it was doing there._

_This was why he had waited until she was asleep, even though they had moved past the 'no strings, no ribbons' stage in there relationship she still didn't like him giving her unnecessary gifts. "Do you like it?" he asked nervously._

"_It's beautiful," she answered softly as she admired it._

"_It was my mom's."_

_Chloe looked back toward him clearly shocked but said nothing so he continued, "My dad gave it to her on their first anniversary."_

"_Ollie…" she said her voice barely above a whisper._

"_She would have loved you; you're just so much like her."_

_Chloe looked at him as a few tears started to fall down her slightly flushed cheeks. "Will you please keep it?"_

_She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, "I'll wear it everyday," she told him when she pulled back._

_He smiled brightly at her and kissed her again…_

Oliver couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his lips at the memory. He looked back up at Lois who was still ranting about David Jacob Young.

It was that moment that he knew exactly what he had to do to get Chloe back.

* * *

A/N

Okay couple of things, first I'm sorry I took so long to get this posted I ran into the worst case of writer's block. I'm really not thrilled with it but this was the best of the 5 different versions I wrote, Scary right? Lol. Also I know I said Clark would be in this chapter but I was having a lot of trouble writing the scene between him and Oliver, I think it will be in the next chapter.

Thank you so much to everyone who has sent reviews I really appreciate them they keep me motivated so please keep them coming!


	7. Chapter 7

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany2922

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she end up married to the wrong man.

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words:2,018

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Oliver paced the apartment his phone clenched firmly in his right hand. He had called her over a dozen times in the two days since he had seen her at Clark's house, but each time he got no response but her voicemail. He sighed heavily as the image of her looking down at her phone as he called and pressing the ignore button each time his name and number appeared played in his mind.

He continued to walk to length of the clock tower, from the couch to his desk to the kitchen then back toward the couch. He could have sworn he had done over a hundred laps around the main living area just in the past hour.

He couldn't remember a time that he had felt quite this restless.

He lifted the phone and stared again hoping he had somehow missed her finally returning one of the many phone calls he had made to her, but knowing that he hadn't. If there was one thing Chloe Sullivan was good at it was digging her heels in once she decided to do something. And apparentally what she had decided to do was avoid him at all costs.

Unfortunately Chloe keeping her distance from him was making his plan to work his way back into her life and find a way to make her realize she was marrying the wrong man completely impossible.

The worst part was he had been so confident that he had the solution, it had seemed so simple. All he thought he would have to do is appeal to her adventurous side.

He would just give her the newest intel he had on a few serious baddies and her inner sidekick and justice seeker would emerge, but there was no chance of that working if he couldn't even get her to answer the damn phone.

He lifted the phone higher and flung it toward the nearest wall, , but before it make contact and break into what would be several pieces, he felt a sudden gust of wind.

Clark Kent stood in front of him, Oliver's cell phone in his hand and a knowing smirk on his face, "I take it Chloe hasn't returned one of your many phone calls yet, huh?"

"Good guess." Oliver grumbled. He looked up at the other man, "how do you know how many times I've called her?" he asked eyes wide.

"She may have asked me to come and talk to you," he admitted.

Oliver shoulders slumped and he made his way over to the couch and flopped down defeatedly, "of course she did."

"Can I ask you a question?" Clark asked still grinning.

"What's that?"

"How do you expect her to call you back if you've trashed your phone?" Clark asked making his way over to the couch and holding it out for him to grab.

"I have plenty of others," he said, "Billionaire, remember?" he joked weakly. Oliver reached out his hand and took the phone from the other man. "So if she sent you here to talk to me that means you've seen her?"

"Yeah earlier today actually. And before you ask, yes I told her she should call you back, but I guess she didn't feel like taking my advice."

"I don't know what to do." he said lamely.

"For starters, don't give up." Clark backed up a few steps and sat in the chair facing Oliver, "you and I both know how stuborn she can be when she puts her mind to something." He let out a small chuckle, "just between the two of us I'd say she's close to actually answering one on your calls, I think that's why she sent me to talk to you she doesn't know how much longer she can hold out."

"Yeah then she'll probably just pick up long enough to yell at me and hang up again," he said with a small smirk.

"True but even that can't last forever." Clark said with a smile. "Keep trying." He stood from the chair and headed toward the elevator but turned back toward before he got on, "and Oliver?"

"Yeah?"

"I pretty sure it goes without saying that if you screw up and hurt her again that not even a castle surrounded by a moat of liquid kryptonite will be safe enough for you."

"Of course not, that's when you'd send Lois in to take care of me, and we both know that she is far scarier then you are." Oliver replied with a smile.

"Yeah, she is," Clark admitted smiling back and climbing onto the elevator.

Oliver watched him leave then stood and made his way to the balcony phone in hand.

Ten minutes later he still stood there his arms resting on the railing as he looked out over the Metropolis skyline. He knew Clark was right, the only thing that would work right now was persistence. He lifted the phone and dialed her number again…

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to get that?" Jake asked pointing in the direction of her ringing phone with his fork his eyes slightly narrowed.

"No I'm good," she answered trying to brush it off and hoping he would let it drop, but of course he didn't.

"Chloe, you've been getting a lot of calls you refuse to answer in front of me over the past few days."

"It's no one important, I'll just turn it off," she said reaching over and powering down her phone. "See all better." she said smiling.

Jacob picked up his glass of wine and took a long gulp, his eyes never leaving her face, "do all these phone calls have something to do with Oliver Queen coming back to Metropolis?" he asked frowning deeply.

She sighed heavily.

Jacob hadn't reacted well when he first found out that she had had a relationship with the most famous billionaire playboy on the planet, especially when she told him that the two of them were actually serious enough that she had moved to Star City to be with him. That was one of the first obsticles they needed to overcome, there weren't many men who would feel confident enough to try and compete with the memory of _THE_ Oliver Queen.

Truth be told she had considered not even telling Jake about him but she knew that their relationship had been highly publicized. How could it not have been; one of the worlds most eligible bachlors settling down with a small town girl was bound to make headlines, but not as many as their break up and his subsequent return to the "dating" scene had.

Luckily he had seemed to get past his 'my girlfriend used to be shacked up with Oliver Queen' issues, until now. She should have realized that the return of her ex would cause a problem and prepared for the fall out, but she had been too busy trying to balance herself back out since seeing him.

"You heard he's back huh?" she asked casually.

"Oliver Queen comes back to Metropolis within days of his ex girlfriend announcing her engagement kind of stirs the rumor mills," he answered sourly.

Chloe picked up her fork and began pushing her food around on her plate trying to keep from looking into the eyes of her obviously very annoyed fiancee.

"So you knew he was back then?" he continued "have you seen him."

"Just for a minute. He showed up at Lois and Clark's the other day when I was there, but we didn't talk or anything. I left right after he showed up."

"Hence all the phone calls." he said gesturing toward her phone again.

"It's not like I can stop him from calling, all I can do is not answer. He'll give up eventually."

"I want you stay away from him." He said through clenched teeth.

Chloe's head shot up and her eyes narrowed, " I have no intention of seeing him, but the two of us happen to have a lot of mutual friends so as long as he's in town there's going to be chances of us running into one another. Besides, last time I checked you didn't get to decide who I do and do not see Jake."

"Given the fact that we're getting married in a little less then two months I think I have every right to ask you not to be around him."

"I didn't realize you were asking, it sounded more like telling to me." she snapped slamming her fork back down on the table.

"Look, all I'm saying is that it would be very embarrassing for me and my family if _MY_ fiancee starts getting plastered all over the tabloids with her ex boyfriend."

"Well I wouldn't want to embarrass you or your family." she bit out sarcastically, "but I can't avoid him forever like I said we have mutual friends."

"Like your cousin."

"Yes like Lois." she answered with a single nod.

"And I'm sure she is just dying for you to see him again." he bit out.

Chloe rolled her eyes, the dislike Jake and Lois had for one another was really starting to wear on her.

"You know what I'm not doing this anymore. You and Lois need to get over this whole thing you have with each other, because I am tired of being in the middle."

"She's the one who started this whole thing."

"Really you're going with the whole 'she started it' defense? What are you… five?"

"I'm just saying…"

" Oh I know what you're saying," she said standing from the table, "and let me tell you one thing, Lois is my family practically the only family I have left, and I will _never_ choose you over her so you need to just get over it, and as for Oliver, he and I broke up over a year ago so that's just one more thing you're going to have to get over." she stormed from the dining room, but instead of heading toward the bedroom like she normally did when the two of them fought she picked up her purse and keys and walked out the front door slamming it behind her.

As she climbed into her car she already knew where she was heading. She had to just see him and get it over with, and maybe once she did they could put their past behind them and he would just go back to Star City.

At least she hoped he would…

* * *

A/N Sorry this took so long to get out I'm not crazy about it but at least it leads to the Chloe /Ollie renunion, which is already written and I'll be posting it tomorrow!


	8. Chapter 8

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she end up married to the wrong man.

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words:1,923

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Oliver sat on his sofa a glass of his favorite scotch in hand and his phone still within reaching distance on the coffee table. He raised the glass to his lips and finished what was left in one gulp then slammed the glass down beside his phone.

Clark's words from earlier repeated over and over again in his mind. He had told Oliver not to give up that he thought Chloe's resolve was weakening. He had decided to wait until tomorrow to call her again, but the thought of going another day without actually talking to her was eating away at him. Deciding to try one more time he lifted his phone, but before he could dial the gate to the elevator slammed open and in walked one seriously pissed off Chloe Sullivan.

"Hey," he said hesitantly, "how did you…"

"Get in?" she asked finishing his question for him, "you never changed your code." She started pacing in front of him, "you really need to work on that I mean how ling after you and Lois broke up did she have the password to your computer. It's simple Oliver, break up with girlfriend, change important pass codes."

"Right but I would only have to do that if I didn't trust you, which I do, so I didn't really see the point. So to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

She didn't respond just stomped over to him, until she was inches from him. "I think you know," she answered her hands planted firmly on her hips and her eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea how many times you have called me Oliver Queen?"

"A few." he answered.

"A few? Try eighteen. Eighteen phone calls in the last in the last two days." She took another small step toward him, "what were you thinking?"

He stared up at her for a moment then stood causing them to be even closer, "I figured you had to pick up and talk to me eventually," he admitted.

"Didn't you get the message after call number ten that I had no desire to talk to you." she said angarily.

"Then why are you here?" he asked smugly. He wasn't sure if it was her actually showing up or the scotch he had drank giving him the sudden surge of confidence he was feeling and he didn't care, he was going to use it to his advantage. He leaned toward her, "well?" he lifted his hand and tucked a small curl behind her ear then lowered his hand to her shoulder the pad of his thumb tracing small circles over her pulse point.

"I only came to tell you to stop calling me." she answered obviously trying to keep it together but he heard the way her voice wavered at the small movement of his hand.

Neither of them said a word as she involentarily leaned into his touch and her eyes fell shut for just a moment but when she opened them he was staring at her slightly parted full lips.

"Don't even think about it Oliver!" she snapped suddenly placing her hand to his chest and pushing him back almost causing him to fall back on the couch, but somehow he managed to stay upright.

He shook his head startled by her sudden denial of him but didn't fail to notice the flush in her cheeks, he had seen it on her before, it was the way her body had always reacted to being this close to him, or at least since that first night in Watchtower when she had finally let him in.

The sight of her still reacting to him this way after everything only fueled his building confidence and he felt himself smile brightly before he began to lower his head and press his lips to hers.

"Try it and you'll lose that little appendage of yours that you and every model and starlet you have ever come across holds so dear." she said poking him forcefully in the chest and forcing him to pull back.

"It's not little, I think you would know that better then anyone." he said smugly moving his hand from her shoulder to her cheek and rubbing the pad of his thumb over her lower lip.

Her breath caught in her throat, but she hadn't pushed him away again. He took his opportunity and lowered his mouth to hers, a light brush at first but it quickly intensified. Chloe wrapped her hand around him and pulled his body as close to hers as possible.

He couldn't stop himself from moaning as her lips parted slightly and he seized the opportunity to really taste her for the first time in over a year. It had been so long since he had been this close to her and the feel of her pressed against him was more intoxicating then any liquor or drug could ever be.

He wrapped an arm around her waist until his hand rested against her lower back, somehow pulling her even closer and ran his hand lower until it was resting more on the top of her backside then on her actual back. The feel of his hand there seemed to pull her from her trance. She tore her lips from his and glared.

"What the hell Oliver?" she asked pushing him away from her again, "you can't just kiss me, I'm getting married," she held up her left hand and waved it in front of his face displaying her engagement ring.

Just the sight of the ring made his blood boil, "You shouldn't be," he ground out trying to keep his voice even but knowing he hadn't succeeded.

"Well I'm sorry but you don't get a say in _anything_ I do anymore." she stepped back and began to pace in front of him again.

He watched her movements and fought the urge to tell her how incredibly sexy she was when she was fired up like this. Her hair was slightly tassled, her eyes wild and her chest heaving slightly with each breath as she tried to collect herself.

Suddenly she stopped pacing and looked at him her eyes narrowed, "You shouldn't have kissed me."

"You know what sidekick, you let me and whats more, you kissed me back." he started to move back toward her, but she held up her hand so he stopped mid step.

"First of all," she started holding up one finger, "don't call me that." she held up a second finger, "and second… you… you just caught me off guard."

"I might believe that if you hadn't responded so… hungrily," he said with a smirk.

"That's not even… no you know what I'm not gonna do this with you," she took a deep breath and crossed her hands over her chest, "I came here to tell you that you need to stop. Stop calling before you ruin my relationship. You need to stay away from me."

"I can't," he admitted softly, "I can't watch the woman I love marry someone else and not at least try and fight for you." He took a step toward her, "I love you. Can you honestly say that you don't feel the same way anymore," he took another step, "the day you left me you promised me that you would love me forever."

"I will," she admitted looking to the ground, "but that doesn't change anything."

"Chloe, how can the fact that you still love me not change anything?"

"It just doesn't. Loving you doesn't change everything that happened, and loving you isn't going to change you into he type of man I need to be with."

"Oh really, well why don't you tell me what kind of man you think that is."

She looked to the ground, "I need someone that I'm enough for, someone who wanst to build a life with me. I think I deserve that."

"Of course you do, and I want to give it to you, I wanna give everything to you, you just have to let me." he was almost yelling now.

"Oliver, you only feel this way because I'm marrying someone else."

"Is that what you think, that I only claim to want to have a life with you because I'm afraid of losing you."

"Yes!" she yelled her volume now matching his.

"You couldn't be more wrong." Oliver walked over to his desk and pulled out a small box from the top drawer before walking back over to her. He stood less then a foot from her and began to open the box, "I had this in my pocket the night I came home to find your bags packed and you on your way out the door." When he lifted the lid he heard her let out the smallest gasp, "I was going to promise to change and tell you that you're the love of my life and all I want to do is spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me."

"Ollie…"

"Please don't marry him?" he pleaded, every bit of confidence he had had was now gone and he stood before her exposed, "marry me."

He watched her eyes grow wide.

"I'll give you everything you need and more, I swear."

"I have to go." she said suddenly turning on her heal and rushing toward the elevator.

"Chloe wait," he rushed after her and managed to grab her hand before she climbed on. He pulled her back until her chest was flat against his the crashed his lips against hers in a brief yet passionate kiss. When they pulled apart he leaned his forehead against hers, "I'm not going anywhere and I'm sure as hell not going to give up on you," he told her before releasing her.

He watched her step back and close the gate. As the elevator desended, Oliver felt his first surge of relief since the day her had seen Chloe's wedding announcement, he had seen it in her eyes she still felt the same way about him, there was no denying that, and knowing that one thing only fueled his determination, he now knew there was no way they would end up any way other then together he wouldn't let them….

* * *

A/N Hope y'all liked it!


	9. Chapter 9

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany2922

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Chapacters : Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 2,299

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

Chloe leaned against the door frame just outside her apartment, she'd noticed as she pulled up that there was no light coming from ant of the windows. She hoped that Jake was already asleep, and the last thing she wanted was to wake him up and have to have a conversation about where she had been. A conversation she was guessing would lead to him questioning _who _she had been with.

She slung her purse over her shoulder and let her heels hang from two fingers. After unlocking the door she slowly nudged the door open, crept inside, and then closed it behind her. She stood against the door for several seconds listening for any sounds that would indicate that she had woken him up. When she heard none she silently padded her way into the living room.

"I feel terrible," Jake said to her through the darkness, "I shouldn't have talked to you like that." he cleared his throat before continuing, "It isn't your fault Oliver Queen came back to town, and the way I acted about Lois was uncalled for as well. She's your family, the only family you have around you anymore. It was wrong and I'm sorry."

Chloe walked in the direction of the couch and flipped on the lamp that sat on the table beside it. She looked toward the chair he was sitting in and watched as he stood and stretched his arms above his head trying to rid his back of the knots sleeping in the chair had caused.

"Why were you sleeping out here?" she asked as she looked toward the ground. She kept her voice low and even as possible hoping he wouldn't hear the guilt she felt in it.

"I was waiting up to apologize to you." he explained groggily. "I guess I dozed off."

"Oh, "she made her way around to the front of the couch and placed her purse down on one of the cushions. She began to unbutton her jacket, but she pulled the buttons from their holes slowly. She wasn't quite ready to look at him yet.

Chloe was worried that if she did he would take one good look at her and know the truth.

That she had went to see Oliver.

She could feel the blush his kisses had caused across her entire body. Once her coat was removed she laid it over her purse and turned toward him all the while trying to remember if she had checked the state of her lipstick before coming upstairs.

He made his way over to her and placed his hands gently over her upper arms, "I reacted badly to the whole situation," he told her before wrapping his arms tightly around her waist and pulling her body to his. "I'm so sorry," he said against her ear. He pulled back and smiled down at her, "I promise from here on out I'm going to trust you, completely, I promise."

Chloe felt a ball of guilt that had already begun to form in the pit of her stomach before she even entered their apartment begin to grow. He trusted her, and not a half hour ago she had been in Oliver's arms. Letting him kiss her all the while having to fight the urge to let him take her on every available surface of the clock tower.

She was a horrible person. A horrible, unfaithful woman. Here she was wrapped in the arms of the man she was going to marry in less then two months time. He was whispering a promise of faith and trust in her and she was desperately trying to push aside the memories of the kisses Oliver had given her not even an hour before.

Jake leaned down and brushed his lips gently against hers. He deepened the kiss and Chloe had to force herself to push the thoughts she was having comparing the way Oliver's lips moved against hers to the way Jake's did.

He released her lips and then pressed a final kiss to her forehead, "Can we just forget everything that happened tonight."

'_Yes just forget everything that happened tonight. EVERYTHING' _she thought "Consider it forgotten," she said aloud forcing a smile.

"Good." He released her and took a step back from her, "I'm gonna go take a quick shower, Are you coming to bed?" he asked.

"Yeah I'll meet you in there in just a few minutes."

Chloe watched him head toward the bathroom, and waited until she heard the shower start before heading to the bedroom and changing quickly into her pajamas. She slid under the covers and stared at the ceiling above her. She knew it was wrong but she let her thought drift back to Oliver and the things her had said to her.

Oliver had told her he still loved her, that he wanted to marry her, and that he had wanted to marry her before she even left him that last night in Star City.

The tears began to fall down her cheeks as she remembered the ring he had showed her. It was beautiful, an emerald and diamond ring that matched the way he described her eyes the first time he had told her he loved her.

At first glance it was absolutely gorgeous but once you looked deeper you realized it was more then that it was completely extraordinary and the color of the emerald was the most vibrant green she had ever seen.

She was sure the image of that ring was forever etched into her mind.

She lifted her hand where her current engagement ring sat. When Jake had given it to her the first thought she had was that it was too big and would probably weigh heavy on her delicate fingers.

She continued to stare at it, and for a moment she allowed herself pretend that it was a different ring she was wearing, that it was a different man in the bathroom taking a shower. That it was him that she was waiting in bed for. Him that she was going to marry, him that she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

She felt her resolve to stay away from Oliver begin to weaken. The sudden urge to leave her apartment and go to him was starting to overwhelm her.

She needed a burst of reality, and that's what she got.

The sudden images of him with that woman when she had tried to fix what had happened between them flooded her mind along with the many tabloid articles that had begun to circulate shortly after.

A moment later she heard the shower turn off and tried to shake away all thought of Oliver. She turned her back toward the door he would enter the room through, and did her best to even out her breathing; she hoped that he would think that she had already fallen asleep.

When he crawled in bed beside her he moved his body flush against hers and began to rub his finger tips gently up and down the length of her arm, "Chloe," he whispered against her ear.

Chloe continued to pretend she was asleep. The last thing she could do was be with him when thoughts of another man were haunting her.

He continued to caress her arm and even kissed the back of her neck trying to pull her from her slumber, but she remained still and kept her breathing steady.

After several more minutes she listened as he sighed deeply and felt the mattress shift under her as he turned his back to her.

* * *

Oliver sat at his desk visions of the night before when Chloe had come to see him were running through his mind. The entire encounter had not gone as he planned. He didn't even get a chance to put the plan he was so sure would work into action.

Instead he had gotten caught up by the fact that she was there, the flush of her cheeks as she paced in front of him and the fire in her eyes as she yelled at him.

That was his Chloe.

Stubborn, feisty, and weather she ever realized it or nor sexy as hell. His feelings of the previous night events were mixed, part of him was relieved, he relieved that she had come to him and actually let him kiss her, and she'd even kissed him back, however briefly. That kiss had given him hope as did her admittance that she still loved him. On the flip side of the coin though, was fear. Fear that his actions had shocked and scared her even more then his sudden return to Metropolis had.

What if she avoided him now, even more so then before, because of it?

There was also a part of him was worried that he had gone to far by showing her the ring and asking her to call off her wedding and marry him instead, but he was desperate to make her see the truth.

She belonged with him, no one else, and he only had a little less than two months to make her realize that.

Oliver opened the top drawer of his desk and looked down at the ring box and the jade bracelet that now sat beside it. They would stay in that exact spot waiting for her, and he would not rest until she wore them both.

The sound of the buzzer from his elevator pulled him from his thoughts of Chloe.

He slammed the drawer shut and reached across his desk hoping as he did that it was Chloe, but knowing that it wasn't, if it was she wouldn't bother ringing. She would come in, just as she had the night before, using the code he had never changed.

When he flicked the monitor on his eyebrows shot up. There in his elevator waiting to enter was the man who was about marry the woman he loved, Jacob Winston.

Oliver pushed the button and waited for the other man to enter.

When the doors finally opened he walked into the clock tower and made his way toward Oliver.

"What can I do for you Mr. Winston?" Oliver asked trying to hold back the smirk threatening to spread across his lips. The man was obviously agitated and that meant that he knew that he was a threat to his relationship with Chloe.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the look of anger and uncertainty written all across Winston's face.

"Why don't you cut the formalities Queen, you know why you came back to town," he ground out his teeth clenched and his hands balled into fists at his side.

"Right so this is the conversation where you tell me to stay away from Chloe. That you're marrying her and I should just load up my jet and head back to Star City." Oliver replied with a small chuckle.

Oliver's blatant dismissal of his words seemed to anger Jacob even further. "That about sums it up, "he said wearing a deep frown.

"And I'd be willing to bet she doesn't even know you're here, does she?" Oliver asked shaking his head.

"No she doesn't but that's not important."

"If you honestly believe that coming over here behind her back and trying to run me out of town won't matter, then you don't know Chloe at all."

"I know her, truth be told I know her better then you."

Oliver snorted, "You can't possibly believe that."

"I do. That's why she's marrying me, and there is nothing you can do to stop it."

"If that's what you really think then why are you here trying to force me out of town?" Oliver asked his grin growing wider.

"Just leave. Leave town and let her go." He turned and stormed toward the elevator.

Oliver waited until he was halfway there before he spoke, "I'm not going anywhere," Jake turned at him and glared, "nothing you can say or do will make me give up on her. She won't marry you."

"It's a done deal."

"It's not over until she says I do." Oliver said and watched as the Jake climbed onto the elevator and left his apartment.

* * *

A/N Hope y'all like it, more soon! Next Chapter Chlo-Lo and Lois and Oliver


	10. Chapter 10

Title: The Announcement

Author:brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 2,278

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

_**Chapter 9**_

The sound of Oliver's elevator door slamming open startled him away from the paperwork in front of him. He looked up and saw Lois standing just inside the apartment her arms crossed over her chest, the famous Lois Lane glare directed right at him.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. He knew that look. It was a look that said he was either about to get the telling off of a lifetime or even possibly punched in the jaw. "What can I do for you Lois?" He asked hesitantly.

"Well for starters you can tell me why the hell I just got a message from my cousin asking me to meet her at a dress shop in Smallville this weekend so we can pick out our dresses, _for her wedding_," on the last three words her voice raised several octaves.

Oliver stared at her for a moment his mouth hanging open. Chloe wanted to go dress shopping for the wedding. After everything that they had said to each other the night before why would she call Lois the very next day? It didn't make any sense, he had been sure after on Jacob Winston's visit earlier that day that he had made some kind of progress, Why else would the other man go to all the trouble of storming over to his apartment to try and chase him off. It didn't make any sense why she would…. Oliver let out a small humorless chuckle as everything fell into place.

"What?" Lois demanded.

"You dear baby cousin is just so… damn stubborn."

"That she is," Lois admitted, "but we both already knew that, what I'm trying to figure out is what you plan to do, because obviously you haven't done much of anything yet."

"I have Lois, I've been calling her and…"

"You've been calling her?" Lois stomped over to his desk, pressed her palms to it a leaned down her eyes locked on his, as he looked at her he saw some of the understanding she had for him just a few days ago had faded. Not that he could blame her, he knew how loyal Lois was to Chloe and no matter how close of friends they had remained over the years he knew how worried Lois was about her younger cousin, "the love of your life is about to marry someone else, someone not nearly good enough for her I might add, and your plan of attack is to call her a whole lot? What are you twelve?"

Oliver opened his mouth to argue but she didn't give him a chance, "It's time to storm the fields, Queen. Stop sitting back and hoping she'll just come to her senses. You've really got to step up your game here, take no prisoners." She slammed her fist to the desk to add to her point.

"Lois please stop with the military themed dress down, I know I have to step up my game, especially since you just informed me of her plans. I guess I just thought I had made some progress after last night."

"Last night?" Lois asked her eyebrows rose up and down suggestively. "Does that mean you actually saw her?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah she came here to tell me off," he replied with a small chuckle.

"She told you off?"

"Oh yeah," he said a huge smile breaking out on his face at the memory of his feisty blonde storming into his apartment. His smile grew impossibly bigger at the thought of the kisses that followed.

"But that's not all is it?" she asked.

"Huh?" he asked feigning innocence.

"What else happened?" she asked her grin almost as big as his, "did you two…"

"Lois. First off no we didn't, and second even if we had, do you really think I'm gonna sit here and tell you about it?"

"So that's a no on any real action?" Lois asked her mood deflating, "I gotta say I'm disappointed Ollie… I expected more from you."

Oliver leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose trying to push aside the small amount of annoyance, "Lois this is Chloe we're talking about, I'm not about to manipulate her into sleeping with me to get her away from her fiancée' that's not fair to her. She's not just some game to me."

Lois sighed heavily, "I know that, I just… I really hate that guy, and I love you, and I love my cousin and the two of you are just… meant for each other, you know?"

"Yeah I do," the smile returned to his face at Lois's words.

"So what did happen last night," she urged.

He leaned forward his elbows resting on the edge of the desk in front of him. He didn't know what information exactly he should volunteer to Lois but after a moment he decided to lay it all out. If for no other reason then Lois was closer to Chloe then anyone else at this point and apparently there was a pretty good chance he was going to need some kind of back up. "I kissed her."

"You did? Well this just got a whole lot more interesting," she moved across the room and moved a chair to the opposite side of his desk, she flopped down and leaned her elbows on his desk and mirrored his position. "So what did she do? If the goofy grin you're wearing is any indication I'm guessing she kissed you back, right?"

"At first, yeah."

"So then what happened?" Lois said with a gleam in her eye.

"I told her she shouldn't be marrying him, and then she accused me of only wanting her back because she was going to marry someone else."

"And what did you say?" Lois asked her excitement evident in her voice

Oliver reached toward the drawer beside him, "I showed her this," he pulled the ring box from the drawer and handed it to Lois.

She slowly flipped open the lid and her breath caught in her throat, "that's much better," she said smiling brightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen the monstrosity she's wearing on her finger now? It's just not Chloe." She looked back down at the ring, "but this… this ring is perfect for her."

Oliver nodded; he had spent weeks looking for the perfect ring, but finally given up his search in favor of having it specially made for her. "I told her that I've had it since before she left Star City," he took a deep breath preparing himself for revealing the next bit of information, "and then I asked her to marry Me." he added softly.

Lois choked on air, "you actually asked her to marry you?" she asked her eyes wide.

"Yeah."

Lois shook her head in disbelief, "you asked her to marry her while she's still engaged to someone else."

"Yes."

"Oliver the idea was to split them up, and your solution was to pop the question?"

"Um… yeah."

Lois stared at him wide eyed, "Ollie, are you familiar with the saying putting the cart before the horse?" Oliver opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off, "you have to break them up, _and then _propose."

"I know that. I just couldn't think straight… she really is the most infuriating woman."

Lois chuckled, "well she is my cousin, and I'm guessing since she called me to go dress shopping this weekend she said no."

"Obviously."

"Okay that's it Queen, I think it's time you acknowledge that you need some back up."

"I was already prepared to do so." he admitted with a small smile.

"Good." She stood up abruptly and made her way toward the elevator she pulled the door open and stepped inside, then took back to him, "be at the farm tomorrow night at seven fifteen."

"What? Why?"

"Well I'm having a small intimate dinner party, and since you and I are so close, I say you have to be there."

"What are you…?"

She held up her hand stopping him, "just trust me, I've got a plan." She said with a wink as she pulled the door closed.

Oliver listened as the elevator descended _'This can't be good' _he thought before grabbing back up the ring box and placing it back in the drawer beside the Jade bracelet.

* * *

Chloe made her way into the small coffee house and scanned her eyes over the crowd of people looking for her cousin. When Lois had called her an hour ago and insisted they get together for coffee immediately, she wasn't quite sure why they were already meeting up to look for dresses this weekend.

It only took her a moment to realize that Lois hadn't arrived yet, she made her way through the people to the counter and after ordering her favorite, an almond mocha latte and a chocolate chip muffin, and she walked across the coffee shop and sat in a booth in the corner.

She picked up her cup and took a generous gulp; she was really hoping that the coffee would give her the pick up that she needed, after her visit with Oliver the night before. To say she had trouble falling asleep would be the understatement of the century she hadn't slept one little bit. Every time she closed her eyes and tried to drift off her mind was flooded with images of what had happened at the clock tower. The smile on his face as he watched her, the kiss that had ignited something in her that Jake had never managed to do, and most of all, the ring and the look on Oliver's face when he pleaded with her not to marry '_the wrong man' _but to marry him instead.

She wished she could say that it didn't affect her. That seeing him in front of her like that didn't make her want to wrap her arms around him and forget everyone and everything else, but it had. She had to force herself to walk away from him and even now she still fought the urge to go back to him.

She felt her resolve weakening and she quickly forced herself to remember every bad moment with Oliver, it was a tactic she had started using ever since he'd returned. She saw all the missed dinners and all the nights she spent alone, and when that didn't work she would force herself to remember that night that she had returned to Star City to try and work things out only to discover him in bed with another woman.

That one usually did the trick and it didn't fail this time either just the memory of it had her shaking away any thoughts of going to him.

A moment later when Lois arrived she was grateful. She slid down in the seat across from her and smiled brightly, "hey cuz, have you been here long?"

"Not too long," she answered returning the smile. "So what was so important that I had to come meet you right away?"

"Well here's the thing… I've been thinking about how I've been acting toward Jake, and I think I've been unfair. Maybe I need to try to get to know him a little better… give him a chance."

"Really?" Chloe asked.

"Yes really."

"You'll have to forgive me Lois but given everything that has happened since you've met him, you have to understand why I'd be a bit skeptical."

"Okay I understand where you're coming from, but Chloe, all I want is for you to be happy. I'll do anything to make sure that happens for you."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Dinner, at the farm," Lois replied with a smile, "it'll give me a chance to get to know this man of yours again, maybe get a chance to form a new opinion of him. So what do you say?"

Chloe looked at her for a moment more trying to figure out if her cousin was serious, "Okay, when?"

"Tomorrow night. Seven sharp."

* * *

Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you thought!


	11. Chapter 11

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany2922

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters : Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 2,473

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Okay so I did my best to write a chapter that was more humor and less angst, I'm not all that happy with it but hopefully I was able to pull it off.

BTW The way I wrote Clark and Oliver interacting in this chapter is how I would love to see them on the show!

* * *

_**Chapter 10**_

Chloe made her way up the steps of the Kent porch, with Jake following closely behind. She felt him reach out and grab her hand in his and turn her body toward his. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Jake, you promised you would at least try and get over this whole thing you have with Lois and Clark didn't you?" she asked. She felt her patience wearing thin; he had been trying to get his way out of this dinner since she'd told him about it.

"Yeah."

"Well this is the first step." she wrapped her hand in his pulled him in the direction of the front door, "besides this was Lois's idea. She's willing to start over, so come on."

She needed Lois and Jake to finally start getting along, because worrying about the two of them being at odds was making an already unbearable situation even harder for everyone involved. She reached the door and knocked loudly before turning the handle and stepping inside.

Chloe let go of Jake's hand and removed her jacket as she made her way toward the kitchen, "Lois! Clark!"

"In here!" Lois yelled back.

Chloe and Jake made their way into the kitchen and Chloe walked toward her cousin smiling, "Dinner smells great Lo,"

"Thanks. " Lois said returning her cousin's grin.

"Do you need us to help with anything?" Chloe asked.

"Um… I was just about to make the salad, if you wanna chop some vegetables?"

"Sure," Chloe answered walking across the room and placing her purse on the table. She zipped it open and fished her way around until she found several small hair clips in the bottom and began to pin her hair back. When she looked up she saw Jake staring at her obviously not knowing what to do, Chloe motioned in the direction of Lois telling him silently to ask if there was anything else that needed to be done.

"Lois is there anything I can help you with?" he asked.

"Actually no, I think we've got it covered," She said turning and smiling at him, "but Clark's out in the barn, you could go hang out with him. I'm sure he would appreciate the company; he's avoiding the kitchen at all costs," she turned her eyes toward Chloe, "he said something about being as far away from the disaster area as possible," she told her, "I think he's still getting used to the idea that I can make food using the stove now instead of just the microwave."

Chloe laughed and turned toward Jake, "Go ahead; I think we've got it."

"All right," he said hesitantly and making his way out the back door. Chloe watched him walk toward the barn and then turned to Lois, "thanks for doing this. You and Jake trying to get along is really important to me, it'll really help things along while we do what we can to get the final arrangements for the wedding in place." She made her way to the counter and put on the apron draped over one of the stools beside it.

"Oh you mean like _finally_ looking for the perfect dress?" Lois teased.

"Okay I admit it, I should have started looking months ago, but that's what we're doing this weekend," she pointed at her cousin, "and if you promise not to say anything else about my extreme procrastination, and manage to be pleasant _all_ evening, I'll let you pick your own bridesmaid dress," she picked up the knife and began chopping the lettuce.

"So I take it that means if I don't behave you'll have me wearing the most horrible dress you can find," Lois said grimacing slightly.

"The absolute worst." Chloe confirmed with a chuckle and a nod.

"Oh fine, not another word about how appallingly far behind you are in planning your wedding."

"All right that's it, not only am I picking your dress now, you just earned yourself poofy sleeves… big ones."

Lois laughed loudly, "just remember I plan to marry Clark one day, and when I do I get to pick your dress."

"Damn. I never really think my punishments through, do I?"

"No you really don't." Lois answered smugly.

* * *

As Oliver stepped from his car he heard the sound of Clark chopping wood in the barn, so instead of heading straight to the house he walked toward the noise. As he got closer he heard Clark's voice. As soon as he heard the voice of the other person he knew who it was.

He stepped inside the barn and saw Clark with an ax in hand talking to Jacob Winston who was leaning against the tractor looking very out of place and uncomfortable with his current surroundings.

"Clark."

"Oliver, hey," he put the ax down and made his way over to greet his friend, "did you just get here?"

"Yeah, I heard you in here doing your thing. I thought I could give you a hand."

"Oh sure… I appreciate it," Clark said eying him. He could tell Clark had no idea what he was trying to do, so he made his way across the barn and picked up the top log on the pile. He placed it down in a vertical position then picked up the ax and slammed it down splitting the wood on two." How you been Jake?" he called across the barn not bothering to look at the other man.

"Fine." he replied through clenched teeth, "though I must say I didn't expect you to be here tonight."

"Oh right, well Lois, Clark, Chloe and I have all been friends for a really long time, so I've been known to come over for dinner occasionally."

He picked up another piece of wood and split it in two just like the first, he then did a third and then a forth, after the tenth he finally turned and looked at Jake, he held out the ax, "wanna give it a shot?" he asked with a smirk as he tried to keep from laughing at the unsure expression across the other mans face. But when Jake's gaze landed on Oliver's held back grin his eyes narrowed. He pulled off his suit coat and began to roll up the sleeves of his white dress shirt. He continued to glare at Oliver as he closed the distance between them and snatched the ax handle from him.

He turned away from Oliver and placed a log down. As he raised the ax above his head Oliver heard Jake mumble something under his breath and he made a mental note to ask Clark if his super hearing had caught what he had said. It occurred to him suddenly that Clark had been completely silent through the entire exchange. When he looked up he saw Clark was not staring at him disapprovingly like he thought he would be, but instead he seemed to be holding back laughter as well.

Eight logs later Jake turned to Clark, "Is that good enough?" he asked his breath slightly labored.

"No I'm gonna need more then that," he reached his hand out, "here why don't you let me take over for you."

"No Clark let me," Oliver interrupted stepping between them and grabbing the ax, his hand just above Jakes. "You've been doing this stuff all day. Don't worry," he then turned his gaze to Jake, "I'm not even remotely tired, and I've got a lot left in me." He still kept his eyes narrowed at Jake and really hoped that the man received the true message behind his words, and if the look on the other man's face was any kind of indicator did.

He got it loud and clear.

"I think I can handle some more," Jake said tugging the ax back and then returned to chopping this time more vigorously then before. Oliver continued to watch him, while he and Clark exchanged amused looks.

Twenty minutes later Oliver and Clark followed an exhausted and annoyed looking Jake toward the Kent farmhouse.

As they made their way into the kitchen Oliver saw Chloe leaning against the counter her legs crossed at her ankles and a glass of red wine in her hand. She looked beautiful, her golden locks pinned back and a huge smile stretched across her lips. She was so engrossed in her conversation with Lois that she didn't notice the three of them enter, but when she did her eyes quickly drifted from Jake to Oliver then back again before she turned to Lois and shot her a look that showed how much trouble her cousin would be in later when she managed to get her alone.

She set her glass down and eyed her disheveled fiancée's appearance, "What have you been doing?" she asked glaring at Clark who shrugged and did his best to look innocent.

"Clark was chopping some wood out in the barn, and I gave him a hand."

"Oh," her eyes landed on Oliver for a second and when she saw the smile on his face she glared at him as well. She walked across the room and placed a hand gently on his shoulder," are you all right?" she asked her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm fine," he said firmly shrugging away her hand, "Is there somewhere I can wash up before dinner?" he asked holding up his hands which were now covered in blisters.

"Bathrooms up the stairs," Chloe answered. Jake turned away from her and made his way across the kitchen toward the staircase, "third door on the right," she called out to him.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

As soon as he was out of sight she turned back to Oliver," what are you doing here?" she demanded.

He walked over to the counter and picked a carrot out of her freshly made salad, "having dinner with my closest friends," he said with a smirk.

"This is not good," she said under her breath as she ran her hands over her face. "And you!" she yelled as she turned toward her cousin," what were you thinking inviting Ollie here, you said you were trying to get to know Jake better and start over, and the whole time this is what you had planned?"

"Chloe, I'm sorry but…"

"Please don't try and make some lame excuse right now about how you just want to see me happy and you only meant well, because I swear if you say any of that right now I'll scream!"

"Look," Lois said trying her best to keep her voice even, "believe it or not everything you just said is the truth, and I honestly believe that you need to open your eyes as to what you're doing, and why you're staying with someone who isn't who you and I both know you're meant to be with." He eyes drifted toward Oliver who did his best to remain silent throughout the entire exchange between the cousins.

Chloe followed her cousin's eyes until her gaze locked on his, "can you two please excuse us… my dear cousin and I need to have a chat."

Oliver opened his mouth to protest but a second later Clark was beside him an arm placed firmly on his shoulder, "we'll be in the other room."

Oliver followed behind him and once they were both sitting on the couch in the living room Clark turned to him, "I know it doesn't seem like it right now but believe me when I say you are making progress with her."

"How do you know?"

Clark gave him a small lopsided grin, "because I know Chloe better then a lot of people, she's my best friend and after everything we've been through I've gotten really good at reading her."

"Reading her?" Oliver questioned his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Clark responded vaguely not looking him in the eyes.

"How's that?"

"Like I said we're best friends it's just something I kinda…" He stopped speaking as Oliver eyes him suspiciously, "Okay fine, I could hear the way her heartbeat changed when she saw you, okay?"

"You can hear her heartbeat?"

"Yeah well super hearing and all." Clark explained weakly.

Oliver leaned forward and in an over dramatic stage whispered continued, "you know the fact that you listen for changes in peoples heart rates is kind creepy right?"

Clark scowled at him, "It's not like it's something I just do for kicks, it's just… after all the times I've had to save her from one thing or another I kinda got used to listening for her, it's not that easy to just turn off."

Oliver grinned at his friends response, 'It's still kinda creepy." he teased causing Clark's frown to grow deeper.

* * *

A/N Okay kind of a short chapter I know, but I promise there's more to come in Chapter 10 including some Chloe/Clark interaction and finally some face to face Lois/Jake with some Oliver thrown in, hopefully you'll like it!


	12. Chapter 12

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 2,932

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

_**Chapter 11**_

Chloe kept her eyes locked on Lois her arms folded firmly over her chest as she waited for some kind of explanation, but after several minutes of silence she knew she wasn't going to receive one so she spoke first, "So, you wanna tell me what kind of game you think you're playing here, Lois?"

Lois looked at her trying her best to put on an innocent face… but only for a few seconds before she pushed it aside and settled on defiance, "Look I know you're probably pretty mad at me right now but if you would just give me a chance to…"

"A chance to do what exactly, explain? How exactly do you plan to explain this away? I mean what possible reason could you have for setting this whole scheme of yours up?" Chloe placed her hands on her hips and continued to glare at her cousin.

"Look I know you're angry with me right now, and I'll admit you may have a right to be, but you have to understand I'm only doing what I think best for you."

"And you honestly believe that forcing Oliver, the man I'm about to marry, and myself to sit down and eat a meal together is what's best for _me_?"

"Yes! You need to open your eyes and finally face what's really happening here Chloe."

"Oh, and I suppose you're going to tell me what _you_ think that is."

"Well somebody needs to since you insist on being so damn stubborn."

"I'm not being stubborn Lois, I'm being realistic… Oliver and I tried to be together once before and all it lead to was my heart being broken, and him adding a whole lot of fresh notches to his bedpost."

"Chloe I know he hurt you, trust me I do." She stepped toward her cousin and lowered her voice to barely above a whisper, "I'm the one who spent weeks sitting by your side while you cried your eyes out after you left him in Star City. I sat with you and ate massive amounts of Ben and Jerry's and watched chick flick after chick flick when you tried to pretend the articles of him splashed all over the tabloids about his many escapades weren't breaking your heart."

Lois took a deep breath as Chloe wiped away the tears she hadn't realized had started to fall, "and I may also be the only person on the planet who knows the truth about how after only a few dates with the man you're about to marry, you realized that Oliver was really the one for you before hopping on a plane and rushing back to him."

Chloe head shot up and her jaw tensed, "I don't want to talk about that."

"Of course you don't, because reliving that moment means thinking about Oliver with someone else, and it also means acknowledging the fact that if it weren't for what you saw there that might you would be with him instead of forcing yourself to marry someone who will never compare to Ollie."

"I told you I don't want to talk about this, doesn't what I want mean anything to you?"

"You won't admit what you really want," Lois mumbled under her breath as she turned back toward the sink.

A moment later Jake came down the stairs and walked straight toward Chloe. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek, "you okay?"

"Yeah," she looked up at him for a moment and pulled on her lower lip with her teeth, "I was thinking maybe we could head out, grab some dinner and then just head home."

"I thought you wanted to have dinner with your friends."

"I do, it's just… I don't want you to feel awkward about anything. I know this wasn't the night we talked about."

"I'm fine," he said with a small smile as he reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, "why don't you go sit down and I'll be in in a second with a glass of your favorite wine?" he suggested.

"Are you sure?" she asked nervously glancing at Lois.

"Yeah, go ahead I'll be right in."

"Okay," Chloe left the kitchen and headed toward the living room. She found Oliver and Clark sitting on the couch Clark was scowling and Oliver was grinning brightly like he had just gotten one over on Superman, which knowing the way their friendly banter usually went, he probably had.

"What's going on?" she asked the pair.

"Nothing," Clark grumbled.

"Right," she said slowly, "what did you say this time?" she questioned looking toward Oliver.

"Not a thing," Oliver held up his hands as he feigned innocence.

"Sure," she turned her attention toward Clark, "we need to talk."

"I guess I should have seen this coming, huh?"

"You really should have," she agreed with a single nod she reached down and grabbed his hand pulling him up from the couch. She turned toward Oliver, "we'll be right back… you stay right there."

"Where would I…" he flinched at her hardened gaze, "right… yeah… I'll just stay right here." He said pointing down at the couch beneath him.

"Good choice." She moved toward Clark and nudged him in the direction of the front porch.

Clark went without much force and Chloe followed closely behind, they stepped out on to the porch and Chloe walked over to the two person swing. She sat down and patted the spot next to her.

Clark sat down hesitantly, "I know you probably want to yell at me right now but let me just say that Lois was just trying to help, and if I'm being completely honest I _do_ understand what she's trying to do. We don't want you to end up with the wrong person and we both think that if you marry…"

"Clark…" She warned.

"No, please let me finish Chloe, I know that you think I let Lois drag me into another of her schemes or plans or whatever you want to call it, and that makes sense since I usually do, but this time… when she told me what she wanted to do here I didn't need her to convince me. You're making a mistake Chloe and a few years down the line when you wake up one morning and realize that your life is nothing like it should be… it may be too late to fix it."

"Clark," she started her voice cracking as she tried to swallow away the lump in her throat, "I don't know what to say to all that." she admitted.

Clark reached out and placed his hand on her knee, "there's nothing else to say, I know you Chloe, and I know that no matter what happens here today, ultimately you're still going to have to make this decision for yourself."

"Wow."

"What?"

"I'm just trying to figure out when Clark Kent became so eloquent."

Clark let out a hearty laugh and wrapped his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer to him, "I always have been, I just like to pick the most appropriate times to use it."

Chloe rolled her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder, "you don't really expect me to buy that do you?"

"I really should know better then that, huh?"

"Well yeah, this is me you're talking to, and you seem to forget I was present during the years of Lana Lang induced silent brooding in the barn, the Talon, the Torch office…"

"Okay I get it," he grumbled.

"So you ready to change that whole statement about _always_ being capable of expressing yourself."

"Fine it's possible I may not have always been the best at it, but you can at least admit I've gotten _a lot _better at expressing myself since high school."

"Maybe a little," she said with a short nod holding up her hand and spacing her pointer finger and thumb less then an inch apart.

"That's very funny, Chlo."

* * *

Oliver leaned back and turned his head just enough to catch a glimpse of Chloe and Clark through one of the front windows as they sat close together talking on the porch swing.

Chloe's head was resting on Clarks shoulder and his hand was wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Hopefully Clark was making some sort of progress with her, if nothing else at least she wasn't yelling at him, in fact she seemed more at ease then he had seen her since his return from Star City.

It suddenly occurred that while Clark and Chloe were on the porch, Lois was in the kitchen and might appreciate a hand, or at least someone to talk to after what he was certain was a decent tongue lashing from Chloe about her most recent antics.

He stood from the couch, but as he approached the kitchen he heard the tense voices of Lois and Jake obviously in the minute of a heated argument. He stepped closer, doing his best to stay out of sight, He wanted to be close enough to step in if Lois needed back up, but he knew her well enough to know she would be pretty pissed if he interfered and it wasn't absolutely necessary.

"You really think these little stunts of yours to work Lois?" Jake asked his voice filled with held back anger.

"Honestly, yes I do. It's only a matter of time before Chloe realizes what your really like, and I'm going to do all I can to make sure that happens before she makes the monumental mistake of saying 'I do'."

"Why can't you just stay out of this?"

"Because Chloe's my family, and she deserves better then you."

"What you mean like Oliver Queen… a man who treated her like she was expendable, and then even after she tried to go back to him still proceeded to bed every woman he could find."

Oliver felt his stomach clench, as much as he hated the man he was right, he _had_ hurt Chloe. More then he thought possible, and knowing that Chloe had told that piece of their history to Jake Winston had to mean something, Chloe didn't trust many people enough to express what she was feeling to them, and to tell him something so personal wasn't what he expected to hear.

The voices in the kitchen were silent for several seconds before he heard what sounded like Lois slamming a pile of plates to the countertop, but before he could rush in to check on her she spoke again her voice dangerously hard, "how do you know about Chloe's trip to Star City?" she demanded.

"She told me," Jake said flippantly.

"No she didn't."

"Yes she…"

"Shut up.' Lois snapped, "I know she didn't because she only ever told me and Clark, and she made me promise to never tell anyone. Chloe would never tell you about that trip. She never talks about it." she said adamantly. "So I'm going to repeat the question, how do you know about it?"

Oliver tilted his head to the side waiting for Jake to respond but when after several seconds he didn't Lois continued, "Are you keeping tabs on her?"

"That's not any of your business." He answered firmly.

"Like hell it isn't. How do you think Chloe would react to hearing about this?"

"Who's going to tell her… _you_, do you really think that after this little game you tried to set in motion tonight she's really going to believe anything you say about me."

Oliver had had enough he stepped from around the corner, "I think you're underestimating Lois and the relationship she has with Chloe." he said his fists clenched firmly at his side.

"Why am I not surprised," Jake mumbled turning toward Oliver, "do you always lurk around listening to private conversations."

"After what I just heard I don't think you should be talking about _me_ invading _your_ privacy." he ground out.

Jake snorted, "I don't answer to either of you," he replied his gaze drifting between the pair, "and my relationship with Chloe is none of your business," he glared at Oliver before turning his eyes toward Lois, "or yours."

"That's where you're wrong," Oliver closed the distance between them and staring down at the shorter man. "If you think we're going to let Chloe marry you knowing what we do now, you better think again."

"Yes, because your efforts to break us up have worked out so well so far, haven't they?"

"You really are a cocky son of a bitch aren't you?" Oliver felt his anger rising further then he thought possible. The desire he'd felt to hit the man since finding out about his engagement to Chloe was growing by the second.

"Why shouldn't I be…? I'm the one she's with, I'm the one she's marrying," he kept his eyes locked on Oliver and the next words out of his mouth were like a knife to Oliver's gut, "and I'm the one who gets to touch her, hold her, and kiss her. I've got to admit comforting her after what you did to her was… well I'm sure you remember what she's like."

Oliver saw red and before he could stop himself he felt his fist connect with Jake's face and watched in satisfaction as the other man hit the kitchen floor.

* * *

Chloe and Clark entered the farmhouse, Chloe still smiling smugly at getting one over on him. To say her talk with Clark had gone different then expected would definitely be an understatement. She had thought there might be yelling and anger… mostly from her of course, but instead their conversation had gone smoothly. She could even admit, if only to herself, that Clark's words had really gotten under her skin. She had been so caught up in forgetting her past that she hadn't really considered what her future with Jake could end up like, and that was something she now knew she had to do.

When they entered the living room the first thing she noticed was that Oliver was no longer sitting on the couch where they'd left him, it was then that she heard the crash in the kitchen.

She ran toward the room and found Oliver standing over Jake as her fiancée stared up at him wide eyed and blood trickling from his nose and over his lips.

"Oh my God!" She ran across the room and fell to her knees beside the fallen man, "Jake, are you okay?" He didn't respond just looked up at Oliver. Chloe Jumped back up to full height, "What the hell Oliver?" she demanded as she shoved him away from Jake.

"Chloe, you don't understand he…"

"I don't want to hear it," she snapped, "you know I don't know why I thought for even a second that you could just leave me alone." She placed her hands on her hips as she stalked toward him, "You know I've tried really hard to be understanding with you, finding out someone you used to be with is finally moving on can be hard to cope with, but this," she pointed down at Jake, "is too much. You had your chance to be with me Oliver and you blew it… so just get over it already." She walked back over to Jake and held her hand out to him to help him to his feet.

Chloe walked across the kitchen, lifted her purse and jacket from the table and slung them over her forearm. She walked back over to Jake and closed her hand around his and as they walked from the kitchen she turned back to him, "stay away from me Oliver."

Those were the last words she spoke before storming from the house after Jake.


	13. Chapter 13

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 3,913

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

_**

* * *

**_

_**Chapter 12**_

Oliver stared at Chloe's retreating form as she marched from the kitchen and out the front door after Jake Winston. The three friends continued to stand in silence until they heard the car Chloe and Jake came in make its way back down the Kent driveway.

"Well that didn't go like I planned," Lois said, finally breaking the silence in the room.

"You think," Clark turned toward Oliver, "what the hell happened in here?"

Oliver didn't respond just kept his eyes locked on the front door.

Lois took a single step toward Clark. "That guy is far worse then we realized." she told him shaking her head in disbelief.

"Well do one of you wanna fill me in on what exactly happened, because I gotta say, I think was actually starting to make some progress with her… at least until she came in here and saw Jake bleeding with Oliver standing over him."

Oliver ran his hands over his face and finally turned toward the pair, "I let him get to me, he wanted this to happen and I played right into his hands." He walked across the room and sat down on one of the stools by the island counter, "I know I shouldn't have… but the things he was saying, it was like I had no control over my own body."

"What did he say?" Clark asked.

Oliver began to give Clark a brief run down what he had heard of the conversation between Jake and Lois, and what the other man had said to him as well, but when he reached the part where he had to tell Clark about Jake's bragging over his special way of _comforting_ Chloe he couldn't continue. His hands clenched the edge of the counter, his grip so tight that his knuckles were white.

Lois placed a comforting hand on Oliver's shoulder and picked up where he let off.

Oliver tried his best to tune out the words. When she was finished Clark looked between the two of them his eyes wide.

"You're right," he told Lois, "he's far worse then we thought." He walked to the counter and sat in the stool beside Oliver, "so now the question is… where we go from here? Because I can guarantee you after tonight getting through to her is going to be nearly impossible."

They sat in silence for several minutes before Lois finally spoke first, "I think I may have an idea."

Lois walked across the kitchen, picked up the phone from the wall.

"What are you doing?" Clark asked speeding over to her and snatching the phone from her.

Lois stared at him wide eyed, "what do you think I'm doing. I'm calling Chloe."

Clark lowered the phone back to the cradle, "maybe you should at least give her the time it takes to get back to Metropolis to cool down," he suggested.

Lois nodded in agreement and allowed Clark to lead her over to the kitchen table. Lois slid down in the nearest seat and Clark followed suit in the chair opposite her.

Oliver waited until they were both seated before questioning Lois, "So you wanna fill us in on this genius plan of yours?"

* * *

Jake swung the door to the apartment open causing it to slam against the inside wall, and stormed inside, "I hope you can finally agree that I was right about your friends Chloe."

She slowly closed the door behind them and turned to look at him.

"They're never going to let us be happy together." He ground out.

"Jake, I really don't think Lois meant for things to turn out like this tonight."

"Really, well what do you think she expected to happen?" He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her, "she invited your ex-boyfriend to a dinner that she was supposed to be her way of putting the past behind us and starting over… and not just any ex-boyfriend the man you and everyone else in your world consider the love of your life, who by the way came back to town within a day of our engagement being announced. You can't possibly think that this is all just a series of unrelated events?"

"I'm not saying that," she admitted quietly, "but I know this is not what Lois thought would happen," she said pointing to his swollen nose.

Jake stormed into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a small ice pack pressed against his nose, "Chloe, I think maybe it's time you made a choice when it comes to me or your…"

Chloe cocked her head to the side when she heard her cell phone ringing from inside her purse; she quickly crossed the room thankful for the break away from the conversation with Jake that she was sure was going to end badly.

When she pulled her phone from the bag she narrowed her eyes at the name on the caller ID. It was either Clark or Lois calling from the house phone at the Kent farm.

Chloe pressed the talk button and lifted the phone to her ear without saying a word.

"_Chloe?" _Lois said her cousin's voice was soft and she could already hear the apology coming, _"Chloe I'm really sorry about what happened tonight?"_

"Which part Lois? The part where you set up an ambush or the part where my fiancée got punched in the face."

"_Both? I really never expect the night to turn out like that, but I want to make it up to you. I know you probably are going to need a few days to cool down after everything, but we did have plans to go dress shopping this weekend, maybe we could talk then," _Lois suggested.

"All right, but Jake's mom is meeting me there too. Maybe we can grab a cup of coffee at the Talon and talk after."

"_Sounds good, I'll see you then."_

"Bye, Lo." She disconnected the call and turned to see Jake staring her down.

"Well what was that about?"

"Lois just wanted to apologize, and ask if we could talk over a cup of coffee after looking for dresses Saturday."

Jake glared at her but said nothing before storming from the room.

* * *

Chloe stood outside the small dress shop waiting for her future mother in law to arrive. She looked down at her watch and realized that both she and Lois were already over twenty minutes late. She sighed heavily and leaned back against the outer brick wall of the building.

A few more minutes passed before she saw a sleek black town car with tinted windows pull up in front of her. The driver stepped out and opened the door revealing an annoyed looking Charlotte Winston, she stepped out and made her way over to Chloe.

"Chloe, how are you?" she asked coldly lowering a swift kiss to each of Chloe's cheeks.

Charlotte looked past Chloe and eyed the building behind her with distaste.

"I'm fine Charlotte, thank you for asking, how are you?"

"I'm well; although I'm surprised you seem to be doing so well especially after that horrible display your friends put on the other night."

Chloe's body tensed, of course Jake had told her, would it really have been too much to ask for him to wait until after the day she was going to be stuck with his mother for several hours trying on dress after dress.

"It was a difficult evening for everyone." Chloe said with a swift nod.

"Yes well, for my son more then anyone else I'd imagine… after all he was the one who was _assaulted_."

Chloe clenched her jaw and tried to remind herself that she was Jake's mother and had every right to be upset what Lois and Oliver had done.

"You know Lois will be here any moment, so maybe we should just head inside." she suggested desperate to end this conversation immediately.

Chloe spun on her heel and walked into the tiny Smallville dress shop; Charlotte following closely behind her. It had been three days since the blow up during what was supposed to be a dinner to get over all the issues between Jake and her friends, instead it had all been a set up by Lois to try and make Chloe see the 'error of her ways'.

Aside from the phone call from Lois that night, she hadn't spoken to her cousin, Clark, or Oliver since then and while after his behavior that night she was perfect fine not talking to Oliver, she was sad that her and Lois hadn't actually had a chance to make up yet.

"Chloe what exactly are we doing here?" Charlotte Winston asked her voice dripping in disgust as she looked around the tiny dress shop. "Don't you think it might be easier to find an appropriate dress in one of the higher end shops in Metropolis?"

"Oh I don't know about that," A voice said from the doorway.

Chloe's eyes shot up and she couldn't fight the smile that erupted on her face at the sight of Lois standing there with two cups from the Talon, one in each hand. All the anger she was still holding toward her cousin was pushed aside for the relief she felt about no longer being alone to deal with Charlotte. Lois walked across the shop and handed one to Chloe before turning toward Charlotte, "Sorry Mrs. W, I had no idea what kind of coffee you drink." she said with a shrug.

The older woman glared at her, her lips in a firm line and her eyes narrowed, "Lois, I thought I asked you not to call me that."

"Oh right I'm _so_ sorry." she replied dramatically.

"I'm sure you are."

Lois smirked at her then turned to look at Chloe, "anyway, did I miss anything?"

"No we just got here too."

"Great, so where do you wanna start cuz?" She glanced around the shop but before she could start looking an older woman came from the back of the store.

"Chloe, dear? I'm so glad you made it." She walked around Lois and Charlotte and wrapped her arms tightly around Chloe.

She hugged the woman back and smiled, "Mrs. Heinz, It's so good to see you."

The woman pulled back and looked at her sternly, "Chloe. How many times have I told you to call me Gertrude?"

"Sorry," she looked over at the two other women, "let me introduce you." She held at her hand, "this is my future mother in law, Charlotte Winston." She looked back at the older woman, "Charlotte, this is Gertrude Heinz, she is by far the best dressmaker I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Gertrude held out her hand and smiled at the other woman, "Hello Charlotte, it's so nice to meet you."

Charlotte held out her hand and stared down at the woman, "pleasure."

"And this is my maid of honor and cousin Lois Lane," she lowered her voice in an exaggerated whisper, "she may be here shopping for her own wedding dress in the not too distant future." she teased wiggling her eyebrows at her older cousin.

Lois rolled her eyes, "Smallville hasn't even proposed yet Chlo."

"Well something tells me it's only a matter of time."

"Maybe we should just worry about you for now cuz."

"I couldn't agree more," Charlotte interrupted, "it's a three hour drive back to Metropolis after we're finished here, so we should probably get started."

"Right," Gertrude said obviously taken aback by the other woman's clipped tone, "I'll be right back."

She moved toward the back of the shop leaving the three women standing in uncomfortable silence.

An hour and four bridal gowns later Chloe stood in front of one of the full length mirrors. The dress was perfect amazingly simple yet elegant at the same time. Chloe ran her fingers over the intricate beading over the bodice.

It was perfect.

She stepped from behind the curtain covering the dressing area and glanced at the three women waiting on the other side She eyed them nervously hoping they all liked it as much as she did, "well?" she asked after several moments of silence.

"Chloe, you look beautiful." Lois said moving toward her.

"Thanks, Lo." She looked toward the other two women.

"She's right Chloe, It looks amazing on you," Gertrude told her, "Don't you agree Charlotte?"

"I'm not quite sure." the woman answered taking in Chloe's appearance as she looked her up and down. She placed a finger to her chin, "You know I spoke to several women at the club whose daughters are getting married and they took them to this amazing designer in Metropolis…"

"I've already found an amazing designer,' Chloe interrupted looking in the direction of Gertrude, "and this is where I'll be getting my dress," she told her firmly.

"Well if you insist," she walked over to the rack that Gertrude had wheeled out earlier in the day and pulled another gown from it. "I think this dress would be acceptable." To say the dress she held out was beautiful wouldn't do it justice, a sleeveless gown, with gorgeous beading along the bodice and trim. Chloe had actually been drawn to _this_ dress first but had quickly pushed aside any visions of her wearing it. The green accents all over the dress had made that choice for her. It really would have been perfect if she had been marrying… well… not Jake.

"No green." Chloe said firmly.

"Chloe, I'll have you know that green is the ideal wedding color this year." Charlotte informed her sternly.

"No green," she repeated staring the older woman down.

Lois's eyes drifted between the pair. "I think Chloe's right," she said finally, "don't get me wrong," she said looking toward Gertrude, "it's a beautiful dress, but I think this dress," she pointed to Chloe, "is the right choice. Besides, Chloe shouldn't just go with a dress just because the color is what's 'in'."

"I agree." Gertrude chimed in, "she looked toward the hem of the dress, "we will have to hem it slightly… you are rather short dear."

Chloe and Lois both laughed loudly.

"Yes well if you are set on this one, then I suppose you should have it," Charlotte relented sighing heavily, "but I hope you won't be offended if I head back to the city now… it is a long drive after all."

"Of course not." Chloe responded silently thanking God that the woman was finally leaving and maybe she could find a way to enjoy the rest of her shopping excursion.

Charlotte walked across the shop and picked up her coat she had discarded over a nearby chair shortly after they'd arrived. She pulled her jacket on and exited the shop not saying another word to any of them.

"Well thank God she's finally gone," Lois said echoing Chloe's thoughts. She lifted her coffee cup to her lips and downed the remainder, "I'm empty," she said glaring at the offending cup, "I'm gonna head across the street and grab a fresh one," she pointed out the window and toward the Talon, "Would either of you ladies like something?"

"The usual," Chloe answered with a smile.

"You got it, what about you Gerdy?"

Gertrude laughed at the older cousins new moniker for her, "maybe just a cup of tea?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure thing… I'll be right back," she told them exiting the shop.

"Well that was… interesting," Gertrude noted leading Chloe toward a small platform in front of one of the sets of mirrors.

"I'm so sorry, Gertrude."

"For what dear?"

"Charlotte," she answered simply, "she was horrible to you."

The older woman waved her off, "do you really think she's the first nightmare of a future mother in law I've had to deal with."

"No, I suppose not," Chloe couldn't help but smile at the other woman's candor.

"I hope that son of hers is worth it."

Chloe didn't respond just stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror before her. When she didn't answer Gertrude shrugged it off, "so when can I expect a copy of your Wedding announcement? You know I don't get anything but the Smallville Ledger."

Chloe laughed, "Okay that's it for Christmas you're getting a subscription to the Daily Planet, delivered here seven days a week."

"I'm perfectly happy with my small town paper Chloe," she said with a pointed look.

"Don't let Lois hear you say that, she's the Planets star reporter, you know?"

"Really?"

Chloe nodded slowly.

"Well maybe I'll give it a chance, but I still expect a copy of that announcement, and soon."

"You got it… Gerdy." she teased.

Gertrude laughed heartedly, "That cousin of yours is certainly an… experience."

"That she is." Chloe agreed with a chuckle.

* * *

Oliver stared at the long deserted highway in front of him. Three days ago had been that awful blow up at the Kent Farm, and he hadn't spoken to anyone since then. After Chloe stormed out, Lois and Clark had done their best to comfort him, but unfortunately all her could see was the look of disdain in Chloe's eyes when she'd told him to stay away from her.

It was an image he couldn't seem to shake away.

Chloe had been mad at him plenty of times in the past, both before and during their romantic relationship, but the harshness in her voice and the coldness in her eyes was… well it was different then anything he had ever experienced from her.

Part of him wanted to do what she asked of him, just leave her alone, Chloe Sullivan deserved someone far better then him anyway, but he couldn't do that. The things he had heard from Jacob Winston's mouth that night proved that. The man couldn't be trusted… not with Chloe.

He knew Lois was certain her plan to stay as close to Chloe as possible and wait for the time when she knew Chloe would be most receptive was going to work, but he wasn't so sure.

He firmly believed the time for schemes and 'accidental run ins' between the two of them had passed.

When Lois had stormed into his apartment the other day, she had told him that they would be dress shopping in Smallville, and he was willing to bet he knew where. Chloe had once told him about Gertrude Heinz and how if she ever got married again, her and all the woman in her wedding party would wear dresses by the woman she swore made the most beautiful wedding dresses she had ever seen. He also knew the shop was right across the street from the Talon, so all he had to do was wait there to see her when she stopped by for her unavoidable double mocha latte fix and beg for her to give a chance to explain about everything that had happened at the Kent farm three days prior.

He pulled up in front of the Talon and walked inside. As soon as he walked through the door he saw Lois making her way in his direction. When she looked up and saw him she smiled brightly and walked over to him.

"Ollie."

"Lois."

"So I'm glad to see you haven't thrown in the towel. When I hadn't heard from you after the other night, I started to worry."

"I'll never give up on her Lois… is she still over there?" he asked pointing to the small dress shop.

"Yeah she is, and actually," she lifted one of the three cups in her hands to her lips and took a small sip, "I think they got my order wrong… it may take me a while to go get it replaced."

Oliver glanced around the nearly empty coffee house and smirked, "because it's so packed in here?"

"Exactly, maybe you should head over there instead of waiting for her to show up here,' she suggested.

"Who's the third cup for?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't tell him that Jake had come to Smallville with Chloe.

"Gerdy," she answered simply.

"Gerdy?" He asked.

"You'll meet her once you get there, and I'm certain you'll love her as much as Chloe seems to."

"Right."

"Now go,' she nudged him gently with her foot and turned on her heel then headed toward one of the nearby tables.

Oliver turned and left the coffee house, and ran to the small shop across the street. When he reached the dress shop he peered through the front window, and that was when he saw her.

Chloe stood on a small platform. The white dress she wore looked perfect on her. She was a vision.

He couldn't stop himself from walking through the front door. At the sound of the bell above the door chiming as he entered Chloe's head shot up, her radiant smile fading at the sight of him standing in front of her.

* * *

3 more chapters to go!


	14. Chapter 14

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 2,877

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

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* * *

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_**Chapter 13**_

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, "Wow. You look… wow."

The woman sitting on her knees in front of Chloe looked up suddenly and quickly rose to her feet, "well hello," she said with a smile before walking over to him and holding out her hand, "I'm Gertrude Heinz."

"Hi," he said accepting her hand, "I'm…"

"The groom I assume," she turned toward Chloe and smiled, "You know they say its bad luck for the groom to see his bride in her dress before the wedding." she teased.

"I think Chloe and I have already overcome all the bad luck that could possibly come our way." He told the other woman, not bothering to correct her assumption that he was the man marrying Chloe.

She smiled at him then turned on her heel, "I'll just give you two a minute." She made her way toward the back but stopped in front of Chloe and leaned forward, "well now I can see why you put up with the horrid mother in law, he definitely looks like he's worth the trouble."

Oliver bit back a chuckle at the words the older woman seemed to think he couldn't hear as he watched her leave the room.

He took a step toward Chloe who still hadn't said a word to him, "You really do look incredible," he tried to fight the turning in his stomach as the image of her standing beside Jacob Winston in that dress… saying I do… having him slip the ring on her finger before kissing her passionately as they are announced man and wife. He forced the thoughts away when she finally spoke.

"What are you doing here? Did Lois set this up?" She asked glancing toward the Talon.

"Lois had no idea I was coming to Smallville today."

"Well then why don't you answer my other question…? What are you doing here Oliver?"

"I needed to see you… to explain about the other night."

Chloe stepped from the platform and stalked toward him, "how can you possibly explain away what happened Oliver, you hit my fiancée."

"If you would just take a minute to listen you would…"

"What… understand?"

"Yes!"

"I really doubt that."

She stood in front of him her hands placed firmly on her hips and his mind began to drift again, only this time it was him standing beside her at the end of the isle, him slipping the ring onto her finger…

Suddenly she snapped her fingers in front of his face, "Oliver, are you even listening to me?" she demanded her voice practically a shriek.

"Of course I am," he said shaking away the thoughts.

"Then please explain to me why you're standing there with that stupid grin on your face while I try my hardest to tell you the way things need to be."

"I'm sorry, but if you would just…"

"What listen to more excuses?"

"Chloe, you really need to stop and listen to what I have to tell you…"

"No! You need to leave Oliver… now!" Chloe quickly turned away from him tears streaming down her face and darted across the shop into the dressing area and pulling the curtain shut behind her.

Oliver stared at the closed curtain for a moment before turning and leaving the shop. That had gone worse then he even thought possible. He stalked across the street trying to keep his temper in control, he knew that he'd hurt Chloe, but she wasn't even giving him a chance to explain, as he opened his car door and went to crawl in Lois roughly grabbed his arm.

"What happened?" she asked anxiously.

"It didn't go well," he explained vaguely.

"What do you mean, 'it didn't go well' what the hell does that even mean?"

"That Chloe needs more time."

"So _now_ you're throwing in the towel?"

"Not even close," he promised. "But right now she needs some time to cool down, maybe then she'll actually listen to reason."

"But what about Jake… what we both know he's been doing, spying on her, keeping tabs on her."

"It's just a few days Lois."

"Well maybe you can stand to wait a few days to tell her the truth about everything, but I can't."

"Lois maybe you should give her…" He didn't get a chance to finish when Lois waved him off and stormed away from him back toward the small dress shop. Oliver climbed in his car. He revved the engine and pulled out putting as much space between him and Smallville as possible.

* * *

Chloe leaned against the mirror of the small dressing area and slowly slid to the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chest as the beautiful gown she wore fanned out around her.

She sat there for several minutes trying to stop the flood of emotions that overcame her. Oliver showing up like he did threw her for a loop. He wasn't supposed to be there, wasn't supposed to come around her at all. Yet there he had been standing in front of her his eyes warm and his smile broad. The very sight of him had the same effect on her it always did. Weak knees and accelerated heart rate, a physical response reserved for only Oliver.

She placed her hands over her face and leaned down against her knees. Her whole life was spiraling out of control; she'd chased him away as fast as she could but still his presence was affecting her… she couldn't stop it.

Suddenly the curtain was yanked open and Chloe looked up to find Lois standing in front of her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"No, I need to get out if this dress… now, can you help me?"

"Sure," Lois said reaching out her hand and pulling Chloe up. Chloe turned around and Lois pulled the zipper dawn and when Chloe stepped out of it she slung in over her arm and left her cousin to change back into her regular clothes.

A few minutes later Chloe walked out of the small room and smiled sadly at the women in front of her, "I'm not sure when I'll need to schedule those fitting appointments, Gertrude."

"Its fine dear, are you okay?" she placed a gentle hand on Chloe's shoulder.

Chloe nodded then looked at Lois, "but I could really use a drink, you up for it Lo? Girls night in Metropolis?"

"Sure." Lois answered slowly.

"Great, I'm just gonna head back to my apartment and change. I'll meet you at The Ace of Clubs at about eight."

"Sounds good."

She turned and gave Gertrude a hug, "thanks for everything, and again I'm really sorry I have to take off like this," she said against the woman's ear.

"It's fine Chloe." She released her from the hug and stepped back, "be careful out there tonight, okay?"

"I will."

Chloe stood outside her bedroom closet slipping into a pair of heels when she heard the apartment door slam.

"Chloe?"

She walked from the bedroom her purse in hand and searched the common rooms until she found Jake standing in the middle of the dining room, "what's the matter?"

Jake looked her up and down, "why are you dressed like that?"

"I'm going out with Lois… girl's night."

"Right… just Lois then?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, "yes just Lois, and Oliver won't be there if that's what you're implying. That would kind of defeat the purpose of a _girl's night_, don't you think?"

"Well before you go out we need to talk."

"What about?" She asked sliding into the chair beside the dining room table.

"I spoke to my mother just now."

"And?"

"She told me that you and Lois were very rude to her today, wouldn't listen to any of her suggestions on dresses or anything."

"Really? Well before you start to attack me maybe you should ask for my side of the story."

"What possible reason could you have for justifiably treating my mother like her opinion doesn't matter?"

"Jake, you're mother was horrible today, completely rude to Gertrude, and kept trying to get me to agree to go to a shop in Metropolis, all I did was let her know that wasn't going to happen."

"And what about Lois?"

"Lois was as polite to your mother as she was to Lois."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Chloe did her best to slow her breathing as her anger toward the man in front of her began to build. "Honestly that you're mother is a stuck up snob who acts like everyone she meets is beneath her."

"That's because most people are."

His words made her last bit of restrain snap. She jumped from her seat her hands clenched firmly at her sides. "Are you kidding me? How do you figure that?"

Jake sighed heavily and continued to glare at her, "Chloe, your issues with my mother aside you need to start to realize that if you're going to marry into my family there are certain… expectations that you'll need to meet."

"Expectations?"

"Yes. We're not like other families, and there is a certain way you will need to act. We have an image to uphold."

Chloe chuckled humorlessly, "You know what, then maybe I don't need to be a part of your condescending, ostentatious family."

Chloe grabbed her purse from the table top and stormed away from him, without another word, making sure to slam the front door as hard as she could when she left just because she could.

Several hours later Chloe sat across from Lois in the Ace of Clubs, several empty glasses already littering the table in front of them. Chloe still hadn't said anything about what had happened with Oliver or her fight with Jake but she knew she had to eventually so she looked up at Lois and plunged forward.

"I can't marry him." she admitted softly.

"I know."

"How did I let this happen Lois? How did I go from being with the love of my life and living in Star City to being back here about to marry someone who I don't even think I like all that much.."

"Fear."

Chloe's head shot up her eyes wide.

"Oliver hurt you Chloe, and I think it was just one time too many. You couldn't put yourself out there again, so you went with someone you thought was safe… someone who wouldn't have the power to hurt you."

"I'm a horrible person… no matter how big of a jerk he turned out to be he doesn't deserve what I did… I used him."

"You are not a horrible person Chloe."

"You have to say that you're my cousin, it's mandatory you side with me."

"Honestly, I feel like I haven't been a very good cousin or friend to you… all my schemes and set ups to try and get you to see the truth, that wasn't what you needed from me."

Chloe reached across the table and placed her hand over Lois's, "you were just trying to help I know that now."

"I went about it the wrong way, though."

"I just wish I hadn't been so stubborn, now I'm going to end up hurting someone who doesn't deserve it." She cleared her throat and took a sip from her glass, "Jake may be a jackass but he did trust me and look what I've done."

"He doesn't trust you, he never did,' Lois mumbled in a very low voice but Chloe still heard it.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked her eyebrows raised.

"There's something I need to tell you… the reason Oliver did what he did the other night."

"Lois I can't…"

"No you need to hear this, you just said you should have listened to me sooner and I really need you to do that now."

"Okay fine, tell me what happened?"

"Jake hasn't been as understanding and trusting as you think… Chloe he's been spying on you… keeping tabs on where you go. He even knew about the trip you took to Star City right after the two of you met."

Chloe felt her heart speed up, "how do you know that?"

"He told me, right before he provoked Oliver… the things he said to him… about the two of you… he knew what he was doing Chloe, he wanted Oliver to lash out like that."

Chloe shook her head in disbelief, "why would he want Oliver to punch him in the face Lois?"

"Chloe come on? You already know the answer to that… stop pretending you don't."

Of course she did. Jake thought that if Oliver lashed out at him like that she would freak out and defend him, and that had been exactly what she did and not just that night, she did it today too when all Oliver was trying to do was tell her the truth.

Chloe lifted her glass and downed what was left, "I have to go Lois."

"What? Where?"

"I just have to do something; can you have Clark pick you up?"

"Yeah."

"I'm serious Lo, call him as soon as you're done with your drink."

"I will, I will." she promised rolling her eyes.

"Good, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Chloe left the club her mind going a mile a minute. All this time she had been feeling guilty over what Oliver's return had done to her. Her desire to go to him… to be with him rather then the man she was marrying, but none of that mattered now Jake never had trusted her. He spied on her for who knows how long.

As she stepped out onto the street she raised her hand to hail a cab. She was going to go back to her apartment and give Jake back his ring… tell him that the marriage was off, and she would move out as soon as possible. But when she finally managed to find a cab she found herself giving the driver not the address to her apartment, but instead directing his towards the clock tower.

* * *

Oliver plopped down on his couch still dressed in full Arrow garb. After his encounter with Chloe earlier he had returned home and immediately suited up to go on patrol. He'd needed to get out there and find something else to focus on, anything to give Chloe the time she seemed to need, and it had worked… for awhile.

But now that he was back in his apartment without any outside distractions everything that had happened with Chloe was flashing through his mind, and not just the things that happened since his return from Star City, but all the time before that.

The way things had happened between them was wrong, and now he was starting to worry that no matter what he did that he might never get the chance to make it up to her.

The sound on the elevator door opening pulled him from his thought. When he looked up he found Chloe standing in front of him.

* * *

A/N - 2 MORE TO GO!


	15. Chapter 15

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Chloe/Jake, Lois/Clark

Rating: this chapter NC-17

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 3,295

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Sorry for the delay on this one. I just really wanted to get it right, honestly I'm still not thrilled with the way it turned out, but hopefully y'all will like it.

Also remember when I first started posting this story and I said it would be NC-17 eventually… this chapter is why! Enjoy!

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_**Chapter 14**_

Oliver fell down to his couch still dressed in full Arrow garb. After his encounter with Chloe earlier that day he had returned home and immediately suited up to go on patrol. He'd needed to get out there and find something else to focus on, anything to give Chloe the time she seemed to need, and it had worked… for awhile.

But now that he was back in his apartment without any outside distractions everything that had happened with Chloe was flashing through his mind, and not just the things that happened since his return from Star City, but all the time before that.

The way things had happened between them was wrong, and now he was starting to worry that no matter what he did that he might never get the chance to make it up to her.

The sound on the elevator door opening pulled him from his thoughts, and when he looked up he found Chloe standing in front of him.

He kept his eyes locked on her steady and unwavering. Something was off that much was obvious. Her eyes were at half mass, and her cheeks had a tale tell flush to them.

She was drunk, or at least well on her way to being so.

"Chloe, what are you…"

She held up her finger to silence him then crossed the room and grabbed two crystal tumblers and a bottle of scotch from the bar. She walked back over to him and placed both glasses on the coffee table and poured two fingers of the amber liquid in each.

"I think we should talk."

"Okay, but do you really need alcohol just to have a conversation with me?" he asked trying to keep the edge from his voice.

"When I have these kinds of conversations I like to be on the same mental level as the other person, and since I've already had quite a bit to drink tonight, I think you need to catch up." She lifted the glasses and handed him one before sliding down beside him on the couch.

"Chloe, I don't think any amount of alcohol could affect that super sized brain of yours," he said with a small smile.

She smiled sadly back at him and let out a small bitter chuckle, "given recent revelations, it seems I don't even need to be inebriated to be a complete idiot."

His smile dropped at her words, "What revelations?"

She looked at him knowingly, "I think you already know what I'm talking about." she said softly, "I'm sorry I wouldn't listen to you Ollie."

"Chloe, you don't need to say that."

"Yes, I do. You tried to warm me… so did Lois and even Clark too… but would I listen… of course not."

Oliver reached out and placed his hand on her knee, "Chloe, after everything I'm the last person you should ever feel the need to apologize to."

She didn't respond just lifted her glass to her lips and took a long generous gulp.

"What happened tonight?" He asked finally.

"Lois told me everything."

"She did?" he looked down at his glass and avoided her gaze.

"Yeah well once I told her I was calling off the wedding I don't think she saw the point in letting me beat myself up over it, especially given everything she knew."

His eyes shot up and locked with hers, "The wedding is off?"

"Well I haven't told Jake yet… but yeah."

"Why haven't you told him?"

He noticed the flush on her cheeks grow slightly darker and travel around to the tops of her ears. "I was going to," she admitted softly, "but as soon as I got in the cab I found myself asking the driver to bring me here instead."

"Why?"

She lifted the glass to her lips, downed the remainder and coughed lightly, "I needed to see you." Her voice was even lower now so low in fact that if he hadn't been sitting so close he never would have heard it.

He wanted to ask for more, wanted to hear the words he knew she was still holding back, and he was certain that if he pushed her, she would say them. But he wouldn't do that to her, he couldn't. Oliver knew even coming here was a huge step for her, so he held back the question, closed his eyes, and silently prayed that his next words wouldn't send her running out his door.

"I'm sorry too."

"What?" she asked her face clearly confused, "why do you think you have to apologize? You weren't the one who acted like a colossal fool."

"No not this time… that much is true I guess," He took several deep breaths hoping his heart would stop beating so fast, "I'm talking about Star City. How everything happened when you moved there with me. What happened after you left, and more then anything for what you saw the night you tried to come back to me."

His hand was still resting on her knee and when Oliver saw all the color leave her cheeks and the familiar time to flee look in her eyes he tightened his grip, "It was a mistake… all of it. I was stupid and selfish and I treated the only person beside my parent who has loved me for who I really am terribly, and honestly I have no idea why. But whatever the reason was it wasn't good enough, nothing excuses blowing apart the best thing that ever happened to me." He closed his eyes tightly waiting for her certain flight from not just his apartment but from his life as well. She lifted his hand from her leg and he felt her lift herself from the couch as his fears were confirmed.

Oliver waited expecting to hear the sound of the gate on the elevator rattling, but his fears were quickly forced away when he felt her warm hand touch his cheek and the pad of her thumb begin to gently stroke just beneath his cheekbone. He didn't open his eyes just savored the feel of her touching him… not because he initiated it but because she clearly wanted to. His eyes shot open a second later when he felt her soft lips brush against his.

Chloe stood back up to her full height and stood in front of him, her lower lip pulled tightly between her teeth as she nervously waited for his reaction.

"Chloe you don't have to do this we can just take some time and figure everything…" He stopped mid sentence when she placed her finger to his lips. She then removed her finger and slid her tiny hand to the side of his face to cup his cheek once more, and then suddenly her lips were pressed against his. It was not soft and sweet like the previous kiss, it was hard and bruising.

Everything in him was screaming that this was wrong, she had been drinking, he had no idea how much but the last thing he wanted was for her to regret being with him come morning. Plus there were still things they would need to work out, could they be really be together again, or was this simply solace. He had no idea, which is why they couldn't do this, not until both their heads were clear.

That was easier said then done though, especially with her standing in front of him, her lips moving against his. He couldn't seem to find the strength to push her away and when he felt her teeth nip lightly at his bottom lip before sucking it in between hers his last bit of restraint slipped away.

Oliver lifted his hands, placed them on her hips then pulled her toward him until she was positioned on his lap a leg on either side of him. Not once did her lips stop touching him. His lips, jaw line, and neck were on fire from the intensity of her touching him again.

This time she had come to him not to yell or tell him to leave her alone, but because she wanted him wanted to work thing out… or at least he hoped she did.

Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body as close to his as possible. He ran his lips down her neck and she leaned back. His hands were firmly planted against her back, holding onto her making sure she didn't fall from her position on his lap. He moved his lips back up to her lips and dove in taking in as much of her as he could.

Chloe tasted like a mixture of tequila and scotch, something he definitely wasn't used to. Whenever he'd been with Chloe his senses would become overrun by a perfect mix of vanilla and coffee, but this was different and the new taste reminded him that Chloe might not be in the perfect frame of mind to be doing this with him.

Oliver pulled his mouth from hers but still kept his hands firmly on her back. He stared into her eyes and saw how much darker they had become, with a small smile he rested his forehead against hers rubbing one hand up and down the length of her back, while the other tangled in her golden locks gently pulling her head back so he could look into her eyes, "Chloe, I think maybe we should…"

She pulled Oliver back to her and started kissing him again. Chloe's lips traveled along his jaw line and all across the side of his neck until she reached his ear, "shhh. Don't say anything. I know what you're thinking, but you're not taking advantage of me." He felt her labored breath against his ear and neck and it sent another sudden wave of desire through his body, "every night since you've been back I've had to fight the urge to come to you… to be with you." She whispered before gently nipping his earlobe then sucking it into her mouth.

He groaned loudly as he felt himself grow impossibly hard beneath her. His leathers had never felt so constricting. He moved his hands to her hips and pulled her down hard against him so she could feel the affect being this close to her was having on him.

"Wow have you missed me Ollie?" she asked in a low seductive voice.

"God you have no idea." he ground out through clenched teeth.

She pulled back and smiled at him, then lowered her gaze to his chest, "I'm pretty sure I know better then you realize, I've missed you too," she admitted quietly. He watched as she shook her head then crushed her lips against his and grinded her hips against him. Oliver let out a low guttural moan which only seemed to urge her on and made her do it again, this time harder and more insistent.

That was all he could take he kept his hands firmly on her hips and stood from the couch. The moment Oliver was standing at full height Chloe wrapped her legs tightly around him and locked her ankles together.

He managed, rather clumsily to carry her toward and then up the spiral staircase. She was still kissing him, her lips caressing any part of him that they could reach. They were on his ears, his neck, and pressed against his.

When they reached his bedroom he lowered her to the ground gently, and he watched as she stepped back, slipped her heals from her feel, and then moved back toward him.

Chloe stared at him taking in the look of him in his leather, "I've always loved the way you look in this," she said shakily as she ran a single finger down his chest and up again until she reached the zipper of his green leather vest. She pulled it down excruciatingly slow, grazing her knuckle along his chest as she did.

When it was finally fully open she placed her hands on his stomach and ran them up his torso until she reached his shoulders then pushed it from his body.

It felt like it always had between them playful yet somehow passionate at the same time, "I remember." Her tiny hand reached to undo his cod piece and he felt a sudden reminder of her current situation scratch against his stomach.

He looked down and noticed the diamond on her ring catch the light from the lamp on beside his bedside table. Without thinking he stilled her hands and lowered them to her sides. Chloe looked at him questioningly, her eyes wide and confused with just a small amount of hurt. It only took him a second to realize that she thought he'd changed his mind and was turning her away.

As if he ever could.

He quickly worked at chasing those fears away turning her body until her back was pressed flush against his chest. Oliver ran his hands over her shoulders and halfway down her arms then moved them around the front of her body gently grazing her breasts and smiling at her hardened peaks, an obvious sign of her arousal.

Oliver slowly began to loosen the small tie that held together her shirt lightly grazing the bottom of her left breast as he did. He smiled in satisfaction as her head fell back and a small gasp escaped her lips.

When the shirt hung freely he moved his hands back to her shoulders and pulled it from her body as he slid the thin material down her arms he made certain to let his fingertips graze her skin the entire way down.

The shirt fell to the ground between their feet and Oliver moved his hand to her back and quickly unclasped her bra. He pulled it from her body and tossed it to the side. He then lifted his hands to her shoulders and started to run the palms of his hands down them once more, loving the way her body shivered under his touch. When he reached her hands he made sure two fingers were in either side of her ring finger, and then slowly slipped the large ring that another man had placed there off. Chloe seemed to sigh in relief at how much lighter her hand had suddenly become and when he heard the bulky ring thud against the floor he turned her back around to him.

Her lips were on his instantly. Hungrily, passionately, and completely Chloe. This was who she was… not the unsure woman she'd seemed to become since they'd ended their relationship.

It was like the woman that had inhabited _his_ Chloe's body since he returned to Metropolis melted away leaving behind the real Chloe.

She was pure fire. Everything about her was warmth and passion, and now she was back.

He couldn't wait any longer he quickly worked the button and zipper on her pants as she made swift work of releasing him from the remainder of his uniform.

Moments later they were both bare, and he stood in front of her drinking in the sight he thought he would never have the chance to behold again.

Oliver grasped her hands in his and tugged her toward him as he fell clumsily to the bed, pulling her on top of him, and only seconds later she lowered herself onto him.

They both sighed perfectly in sync, and their eyes locked. They stared at each other for several minutes in silence until she slowly began to move on him. Slow torturous movements that made every inch of his length tighten and pulsate in anticipation of his inevitable release.

He lifted his hand, laced his fingers through her hair, and pulled her lips down to his. The slight change in her position squeezed him differently and he involuntarily bucked his hips against his.

His sudden reaction seemed to fuel something in her and she began to move her hips faster. Lifting her ass and slamming it down against him all the while never pulling her lips from his.

Oliver's hips began to move in sync with hers, and just as he felt himself about to explode she pulled her lips from his and sat back up. Oliver followed keeping them intimately connected and they now sat chest to chest.

Chloe shifted her legs from his side and wrapped them around his back, and then they began to move again. He slid in and out of her breathing harshly against her neck. He felt his release begin to quickly build back up and he moved his hand in between their bodies. His fingertips grazed against her intimate flesh, and he began to rub tentative circles over her clit.

Reveling in the sounds it caused her to make. It only took a few seconds before he felt her inner walls begin to flutter around him and he heard her breath quicken. With a small pinch she screamed out his name and he felt her hot juices coat him just as he released himself inside her in several jerky thrusts.

Her head fell to his shoulder and he tenderly kissed her neck as he listened to her breathing slow.

Oliver had no idea how long they stayed in that position, but finally they untangled their bodies and fell against the mattress. He lay on his back and pulled her to him. Her leg stretched across his upper thighs and her arm wrapped around his waist as he held her close to him.

"I love you Chloe," he whispered against her hair. He then closed his eyes and started to drift asleep unsure if when he heard her say she loved him too it was real or if he was dreaming.

* * *

Only one more to go!


	16. Chapter 16

Title: The Announcement

Author: brittany34

Summary: One year ago Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan's romance ended, but when Oliver finds out that Chloe is about to marry someone else he realizes that he has to find a way to win her back before she ends up married to the wrong man

Characters: Chloe Sullivan, Oliver Queen, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and several original characters

Rating: this chapter T

Genre: Angst/Romance

Words: 3,833

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

First off, thank you so much to everyone who has read and taken the time to leave me feedback on this story. Knowing people enjoy reading what I write really helps motivate me, so I appreciate it!

A/N Okay so some people expressed some uncertainty about Chloe and Oliver getting together before she'd actually ended things with Jake. That issue will be addressed in the beginning of this chapter.

Thanks for reading!

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**Chapter 15 - conclusion **

She woke up slowly reveling at the feel of the warm toned arms wrapped tightly around her. These were the right arms, not the arms that she had become accustomed to simply settling for over the past year.

This was where she belonged… she knew that now, honestly a part of her had always known she'd just fought it, pretended that she could be happy with someone who was all wrong for her.

Chloe shifted slightly nuzzling into his neck and breathing in the smell of him. A mixture of expensive aftershave and leather, a scent that was pure Ollie.

She'd missed this, even more then she had realized, if that was even possible. As she looked toward the window she noticed the small sliver of morning light through the crack in the curtains.

She sighed heavily and slid her legs off his body, moved from under his arm and off the bed. Quickly glancing around the room Chloe picked up her discarded clothes and got dressed. As she bent over to slip on her heels she noticed her discarded engagement ring just under the edge of the bed. Pinching the band between her pointer finger and her thumb she stared down at it. She'd worn it on her finger for months now and each time she had looked down at it, she was hit with the reminder that it just didn't suit her.

"Having second thoughts?"

She jerked her head to the side and watched as Oliver pushed himself back into a sitting position against the headboard. His eyes never leaving her hand where she held the ring.

"Not for the reasons you're obviously thinking," she crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed her body turned toward him. "What we did last night was a…"

He held up his hand to silence her, "if the last word to that statement is going to be 'mistake' I don't want to hear it."

"Part of it was a mistake," Chloe admitted softly. She shifted until she was sitting beside him, her position mirroring his. "Ollie the memory of last night, as amazing as it was will always be partially tainted by the fact that I was still technically engaged, and I was angry and also kind of drunk…"

She stopped suddenly when she felt his warm hand cover hers.

"So where does that leave us?" He asked his voice thick with a mixture of held back emotions.

"Well for starters, I have to go back to my apartment and officially end my engagement."

"And then?"

She turned toward him and shrugged slightly, "we start again… maybe a little more slowly this time… we could date?"

"Date?"

For a moment she felt nervous that he would hate the idea, but those fears were quickly pushed aside when she saw a small smile twitch at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah," she continued more relaxed now that she realized he wasn't completely opposed to the idea, "you know coffees… lunches… dinners."

"Trips to Paris?" He offered.

"Not for at least a few months Ollie,' she answered with a small laugh.

"And how long will I have to wait before I can see you for one of these coffee/lunch/dinner dates?"

"Just a week or so," she assured him, "I have a lot to do… canceling a wedding isn't easy you know."

"Never had to cancel one myself, but I'll take your word for it."

She smiled at him one last time and stood from the bed, "we'll talk soon," she leaned down and kissed him softly. As she turned away she felt his hand grab hers.

Chloe turned around as Oliver reached behind him and opened his bedside table. When he turned back to her he placed the jade bracelet she had only recently taken off for the first time in over a year in her hand, "Oliver I can't…"

He picked it up from her still open hand and slipped it onto her wrist just a gently as he had the first time, "Chloe, no matter what we are to each other, however we decide to define 'us' this belongs to you… please take it."

She looked down at her wrist and smiled, "I really missed it… for so long it was all I had to remember what we were to each other…Thank you."

"No need to thank me, it's been yours for a long time," he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly, "be careful, you can't be sure how he'll react."

"I'm not worried Ollie, Jake's only power is through his lies and manipulations."

"Still… promise me you'll keep your phone handy."

"I promise," she stepped away from the bed and turned toward the door, "I'll call you soon," she said with a glance over her shoulder.

"Okay."

She walked down the stairs and climbed onto the elevator.

Twenty minutes later Chloe stepped off of another elevator this one in the building with the apartment that she had spent the last six months living in with Jacob Winston.

After only a few steps she looked up and saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall beside her front door.

"Clark." She stepped beside him and began to rummage around inside her purse looking for her keys, "I'm guessing Ollie called you?"

"Did you really think he would let you go in there without some kind of back up?" He asked smiling lightly.

She turned to him her jaw firm, "You'll stay out here, and only come in if I call out for help?"

He held up his hand in front of him in a silent surrender, "I promise."

"Good." She turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door before stepping inside and closing it behind her.

The apartment was silent. She glanced down the hall for signs that Jake was still in the bedroom getting ready for work but saw none.

"I'm in here." He called out from the direction of the kitchen and Chloe was certain from the cold barely held together tone in his voice that he knew where she had been the night before. She just wasn't sure if that meant he'd just assumed or if he still had someone tailing and keeping tabs on her, but she was willing to bet it was the latter.

She walked into the room and stared at him. Jake sat on a stool pushed up against the island counter. In front of him was a cup of coffee and in front of the seat beside him was another.

"You wanna sit down." His words were that of a question but his tone and eyes showed it was his attempt at an order.

Chloe crossed the room, lifted the cup from the counter at took a sip but continued to stand. As the far to sweet liquid touched her tongue a strange thought crossed her mind, Oliver never would have put this much sugar in her coffee. She forced the thought away. It really wasn't the time to focus on all the ways someone else was better suited for her.

"Where were you all night?" He asked glaring at her.

Chloe studied him for a moment, the way he was acting; he wasn't just assuming that she was with Oliver. He knew for sure she was which meant there was a pretty decent chance that he still had someone following her.

"Please don't insult my intelligence by pretending you don't already know," she bit out, she should feel guilty, but she couldn't seem to force that emotion. How could she? The man in front of her had done to much to her to deserve it. "You've been having me followed for who knows exactly how long.

"Yes, I have," he ground out through clenched teeth, "how did you even find out?"

Chloe slammed her mug to the counter and narrowed her eyes, "did you really think that I wouldn't believe my cousin when she told me the truth about you?" she crossed her arms over her chest and continued to glare at him, "What gives you the right to invade my privacy?"

"What gives me the right?" he shouted. He stormed across the room until he was standing only inches from her and then yanked her left arm away from her right by the wrist. "This gives me the…" He stopped immediately when he saw her ring finger bare.

"Where the hell is your ring?" he demanded.

She pulled her wrist from his grasp and reached inside the pocket of her pants. She pulled the ring out and slammed it to the counter right beside her mug. She didn't say a word just continued to glare at him.

Jake nodded a look of understanding finally flittering across his face as he reached down and picked up her discarded ring, "Okay lets just think this through… you made a mistake, and so did I, but that's no reason to call off the wedding. We'll just forget all this happened and start fresh."

"Start fresh?"

"Yes… I really don't believe that anything that we've done to each other means that we have to give up on us."

Chloe leaned back against the counter and eyes him for several seconds, not sure what to make of his willingness to forgive and forget so easily. She ran her hands over her face, "I can't marry you." she said softly.

Jake's face instantly hardened, "Because of him?" He snapped the bitterness returning to his voice.

"Yes." she admitted, "I'm sorry if this hurts you but…"

"You really are a fool, you know that? Don't you realize that the only reason he wants you _now_ is because he thinks he can't have you."

"That's not true." She said firmly.

Jake snorted, "please, he's Oliver Queen… I think his reputation speaks for itself, or are you forgetting about all the women he fucked as soon as he was rid of you the first time."

Her chest felt suddenly heavy, she knew Oliver really loved her and that as long as they were together he had never betrayed her or what they had, but just hearing Jake bring up those women sparked that hidden insecurity that she would never be enough for Oliver.

A smirk began to play on Jake's lips as he realized his words had gotten to her and he continued, "you and I are getting married in less then two months." He held up her ring, "put this back on and we can just forget about all this."

"Forget about it?" she asked.

"Yes, what happened last night, it's forgotten, no one ever needs to know."

Suddenly everything fell into place. Jake being so willing to forgive and forget had nothing to do with the way he felt about her and everything to do with his worry about people finding out that his pending marriage had fallen apart. Once again he was worried about causing embarrassment to the Winston family.

Chloe shook her head and pushed his hand away, "I said I can't marry you and I meant it, and please don't pretend that this entire act here is about us, because we both know it's not… I love Oliver and I _can't_ marry someone else, he's it for me." She pushed past him and walked toward the bedroom. Once inside she went to the closet and pulled out a large duffel bag, she chuckled slightly at the sudden memory of Jake mocking her bag and informing her that she really needed to… "acquire a proper luggage set before their honeymoon" he'd really been horrible all along she'd just been too stupid or stubborn or both to realize it.

"Do you really think I'll allow you humiliate me this way," Jake demanded suddenly standing in the doorway of the room.

Chloe stormed across the room to her dresser and pulled open the top drawer, "I really don't care if this is embarrassing to you, I'm leaving and nothing you can say or do will stop me," she studied the contents trying to determine if there was too much for her to scoop up in her arms. Quickly deciding there was she yanked the drawer from the dresser and carried it back toward the bed. She dumped it into her bag and tossed it on the bed before doing exactly the same with the rest of the drawers

When the dresser was empty she moved onto the closet and pulled down several dresses and pairs of heels. Once she was finally finished packing she picked up her, filled to the seams, bag slung it over her shoulder then headed to the door. Jake still stood there his face hard and his arms crossed against his chest as he leaned into the door frame.

"Let me through," she insisted sharply.

He stepped aside without another word and Chloe swiftly lugged her things toward the front door. Halfway there Jake's voice stopped her, "I'll make you regret this," she turned and stared at him, "by the time my family and I are done, you won't be able to go anywhere with that man you say you love so much, without being insulted and gossiped about. The woman in mine and Oliver's world love to gossip, and I'll make sure they all see you as nothing more then his convenient piece of ass. You'll be a joke! I just hope you remember how much you claim to know he loves you once Oliver Queen throws your ass to the curb."

Chloe adjusted her grip on her bag causing a small clinking noise against the small metal buckle used to adjust the length of the strap. She looked down her eyes locked on the jade bracelet, and a smile broke out across her lips. Oliver did love her and no matter how hard Jake tried to convince her otherwise she knew the truth.

Her confidence rising she glared at him, "Oliver will never hurt me again," she said without a doubt in her mind," she then took several steps back toward him. "And before you think about trashing my name you might want to consider how your little social circle works. I think we both know that when it comes to those you associate with… money talks, and given Oliver's financial standing I'd say most would worry about staying on his good graces a lot more then yours… besides I'd really hate to have to let it slip during girl talk with the ladies at your club about your less then adequate skills in the bedroom. As you mentioned before the women in your world love to gossip."

He stared at her his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open.

"Nothing else to say?" she smiled brightly at him, "I didn't think so." she turned on her heel and continued down the hallway, "I'll be sending someone for the rest of my things." she called over her shoulder.

She stepped out of the apartment and found Clark still waiting for her, just like she knew he would be. He quickly rushed to her side and pulled the bag from her shoulder.

"You did good in there," he said softly wrapping his arm around her shoulder and leading her toward the elevator.

"So I'm guessing you heard _everything_?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure if you needed anything I'd hear."

"I know," she said patting him on the chest, "So where's Lo, I know she can't be too far." Chloe pressed the button and the doors opened immediately.

Stepping inside after her Clark smiled, "coffee house on the corner."

Chloe nodded, "I thought so… well lets go meet her."

As she stepped inside the crowded shop Chloe spotted Lois instantly, she walked over to the table and slid into the chair opposite her cousin.

"Where's Clark?" Lois asked looking back toward the door.

"He went to drop my stuff off at the farm, and give us a few minutes to talk."

"Really? Well why don't you tell me what exactly happened last night?"

Chloe told her everything.

She told her about getting in the cab and finding herself giving the driver Ollie's address instead of her own. Talking everything out with him, spending the night with him. Lois had really loved that part smiling brightly and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as she asked her usual abundance of personal questions.

When Chloe told her about the confrontation with Jake not even an hour before Lois had listened in silence her eyes narrowed and hard as Chloe told her about the man's harsh words about her possible future with Ollie, but Lois hard expression instantly transformed into one of pure delight when Chloe finally reached the end.

"You actually said that to him?" she asked clearly impressed.

"Yes… why is that so shocking?"

"I guess it shouldn't be it's just… Chlo, for the last year you've been so different and hearing that just makes me realize that maybe the old Chloe is coming back."

She nodded in understanding, Lois was right she hadn't been herself lately, and now she could finally feel bits of her old self seeping back through.

"Must be the Lane in you," Lois added lifting her cup to her lips and taking a long generous gulp.

"Must be," Chloe agreed.

* * *

Oliver walked into the small shop and glanced around at the customers. His eyes found the pair almost immediately, Chloe's back was to him but Lois caught a glimpse of him right away. He watched in amusement as Lois hopped up from her seat and reached over to give Chloe a quick hug.

He had no idea what excuse the brunette had used but it seemed to work since Chloe hugged her back and waved goodbye.

Lois approached him a knowing smirk on her face, "Morning Ollie," she said patting him on the back as she walked by.

"Bye Lois," he said watching her retreating form as she continued her way through the crowded shop. He started to make his way over to her.

When Clark had called to let him know that Chloe had safely made it away from her confrontation with Jake he had told him that Chloe was having coffee with Lois and where. Then he'd suggested that Oliver might want to come grab a cup too. At first he'd been hesitant, Chloe had said she needed some time to take care canceling all of her wedding plans, and he really wanted to give her that, but when Clark told him that he really thought she would appreciate him coming to check on her he'd caved almost instantly.

As he approached the table Chloe suddenly looked up and smiled, "Well now Lois's sudden departure makes a lot more sense."

"Guess she didn't make the best excuse."

"She rambled off something about a press conference at city hall; guess she forgot it was Sunday." She pointed toward the chair, "aren't you gonna sit down?"

"Wasn't sure if you would want me to… you did say you needed a little time."

"I did, and I do… but I'd like you to sit anyway… if you want."

He sat down and smiled at her, "so how did it go?"

"Well… it wasn't fun, but I'm really glad it's over and done with."

He nodded and smiled, "I am too." He reached out and grabbed her hand. This is how it had started for them the first time. The two of them sitting at a coffee shop and his hand over hers.

He couldn't help but smile when she turned her hand and laced her fingers through his.

It wasn't much... but it was a start, a new beginning for them.

A little over a year ago he had made the biggest mistake of his life and let her walk away from him, he wouldn't do that again.

Oliver finally had his second chance and this time he was going to get things right.

THE END

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Well it took six months but this story is finally finished! YAY! Hope y'all liked it! I'm not so sure about the ending I know it seems a little abrupt, but I _am _considering writing a couple of one shot follow ups down the road. I have plans for at least two if not three... I'll write tham as long as there's interest in reading them.


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